


The World We Share

by whisperedmemories



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, M/M, Mer!Yuuri, Minor Character Death, Pining, The Katsukis are mermaids, They're basically like water dogs okay, Vicchan is a stingray, Viktor is human, Yuutopia is a coral reef, breaking curses, eventually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2018-12-21 14:47:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 34,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11946507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whisperedmemories/pseuds/whisperedmemories
Summary: After all is said and done, Yuuri's statue man is gone and now they're both very sad and very lonely. But how could they ever forget one another? Surprise-- they can't.





	1. Before

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vepar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vepar/gifts).



> @Riane thank you so much for this idea! I am so excited to be writing this.

Yuuri didn't exactly mean to run away—not _really_. It’s just that sometimes he needs to swim off somewhere. For an extended period of time. Alone. 

Okay, so maybe that was more like running away than he wanted to admit. But he needed to be by himself, and with his family occupying a large portion of the reef they lived in, he didn’t exactly have that. Not to mention his elder sister Mari was always around in his space, talking about how all her friends went up to the shoreline today, and please could she go too, next time? It didn’t matter that humans could be dangerous, she’d be _careful_. Yuuri didn’t want to hear his parents’ response. After all, he was only twelve years old and he would most likely not be allowed to go anywhere near the shore—not until he was older. No matter what his parents said to Mari, it wouldn’t change anything for him. He still couldn’t go.

But he wanted to see things. There was so much of the world beyond tails and merpeople and coral that he hadn’t seen, and oh, he _wanted_ to. Which is why he was swimming off so far away from the reef, in a part of the ocean he had never been to before.

Looking around now, perhaps this hadn’t been one of his better ideas. A bed of seaweed swayed gently out in front of him, and with a quick glance behind him, there too. It obscured his vision, making it near impossible to make out where exactly he was. Yuuri supposed he had managed to swim quite a ways out into the ocean—much farther than he had ever been. His parents wouldn’t worry either, he didn’t think. In his twelve years, he’d swum off more than a handful of times and he always came back by the end of the day. Which usually was a good thing, because they’d give him his space, but this time… well, this time he’d miscalculated. He was most definitely lost.

He flicked his tail, following the movement of the tide as it flowed past him, stilling the farther away it got. It was something his parents taught him; if the water around you moved as much as it did when you flipped your tail, it meant you weren’t alone. And for a merperson of Yuuri’s age, that could very well mean danger. But there was nothing. So he was alone out here after all.

Yuuri turned his head back the way he had come, trying to shove down the slight, yet insistent prickles of anxiousness in the pit of his stomach. “H-Hello?” he asked softly. 

He didn’t expect an answer, nor did he get one. Yuuri licked his lips. He was nervous, despite his murmured “Everything is fine, Yuuri, you’re overreacting,” under his breath. Maybe if he continued to swim out a little ways, the ocean would get clearer and he’d be able to make out his surroundings. Reaching out in front of him, his fingers curled around the seaweed as he pushed it aside and slipped through it. 

The water beyond the seaweed was just as unfamiliar as his surroundings had been before. He must have gone farther than he thought? He had never been out this way, he was sure of it. 

Just as that final wave of panic came crashing down on him, he caught something out of the corner of his eye. Was it… a cave? Yuuri tried to take a deep breath as he let himself drift forward, eyeing the cave warily. It didn’t _look_ occupied. If something lived in there, surely Yuuri would have seen it by now. And maybe this cave would serve as a good resting place until he managed to calm himself down enough to try and backtrack again to get home. 

“I wish Mari were here,” he whispered, letting himself drift into the yawning opening of the cave. But his sister wasn’t here. She was home, back at the reef with his mother and father, blissfully unaware of Yuuri’s current crisis. Why had he decided to go _so_ far away from the reef today?

Yuuri rubbed his eyes, his vision blurring just a bit from the panic still pricking at the corners of his vision. Maybe he would just swim around in the cave for a while. Maybe that would be as good a distraction as any to get his mind off of being lost. Resigning himself to this new plan, Yuuri flicked his tail and swam deeper into the cave. 

The reef itself typically ran warm, but in this particular cave, it was cold—it seemed to be at least tens of degrees colder, he noted as he swam along, fingers brushing the cool walls of the cave. There was nothing like this back at the reef. Everything was all colorful and busy and welcoming there, but here—it was most definitely _not_. And Yuuri was almost… frightened?

But the more overwhelming feeling was the intrigue. Just wait until Mari heard about this place! She’d love it! At least, he hoped she would. Besides begging their parents to go to the surface, Mari didn’t explore much. She tended to stick closer to home, a fact Yuuri knew his parents were happy with.

He was so lost in thought that the sudden smash of his face against something hard made him cry out. It _stung_ and his hand flew to his nose, gripping it tightly. He was sure it would probably bleed, but he didn’t care. His heart was pounding in his chest—what in the world had he just smacked into? Yuuri wheeled back, eyes wide and they came to settle on… 

_A statue?_

Yes. It was a statue—and a grand one at that, standing nearly 180 centimeters (on legs!!) Yuuri couldn’t help but notice. 

“I… I’m sorry!” he shrieked, still gripping his nose, and then cursing under his breath because had he really just apologized to a _statue_? It was weird—the whole situation was weird, but Yuuri found himself leaning closer despite himself. 

‘Humans build them’, he had overheard Mari telling her parents one night. ‘My friends say they’re grand. I sure wish I could see one myself one day. The sheer time it must take to build one of those things—the dedication!’

And grand it was. It was more than grand. It was _beautiful_. Absolutely breathtaking.

“Why isn't anyone else in this cave?” Yuuri asked aloud again, but this time, he was less mortified about voicing his thoughts. After all, who was going to hear him? “After seeing you, I couldn’t imagine anyone would ever want to leave. I wonder who you belong to… are you lost, too? I come from a reef, but sometimes I need to be alone. Although this time, I took it too far.” He could feel the knot in his stomach again but he shoved it down. He wasn’t completely alone now—this beautiful statue was here. A statue of a man with short hair, and bangs just covering his left eye. It was covered in loose bits of seaweed and algae, but the uncovered eye seemed to just shine. Someone had obviously taken great care in crafting this. _But who wouldn't?_ Whoever this man was, he was important enough to have a statue of himself.

Before he even realized what he was doing, Yuuri was brushing the algae off of the statue, murmuring to himself as he did so. “How is it you’re all the way down here and not up there where humans can worship you?”

The whole ordeal really was embarrassing. Here he was, twelve years old, and talking to a statue of a man who probably lived worlds away.

But yet here Yuuri was, in this empty cave with the beautiful statue of a man. And who’s to say that the statue wasn’t lonely after all, all the way down here by itself?

Maybe he wouldn’t say anything about this to Mari after all, Yuuri decided. He’d likely never hear the end of her merciless teasing if she knew he was talking to a stone figure. Even if it was of a human. 

Yuuri sat beside the statue, leaning his head against it. “I won’t ever swim this far away again,” he said, with conviction. “I’m sorry. I know you must be lonely. I get lonely too, you know. Sure, I have my family, and the stingrays make really good pets, but I … it’s not the same, you know? It’s not the same. Even when you’re surrounded by people, sometimes you still feel alone. But… you probably have the opposite problem. You’re all alone in every sense of the word. Maybe… maybe I’ll come back. Sometime. Just to say hi again. It must be boring out here with nobody swimming by. It’s a dark cave, though. It’s not very inviting. It’s no wonder nobody else ever came in here. If they saw you, though… they’d come back for sure.”

His eyelids were starting to droop. It felt so comforting here, leaning up against this figure, the water quietly lapping at the cave walls. “I guess… I can rest here,” he said. “Just for a bit. So neither of us will be so lonely.” He hardly even remembered closing his eyes as he drifted off to sleep.

“…ri. Yu… uri… Yuuri!”

Yuuri’s eyes snapped open, jolting upright and racing to the cave entrance. His neck was a bit stiff, but the pain was soon forgotten as he caught sight of Mari’s brown hair bobbing in the water.

“Yuuri?” she was shouting, squinting as she scanned for him, “Are you out here?”

Yuuri waved. “I’m here! Mari! Mari, I’m here!” He darted over to her, eyes shining with relief. How in the world had she managed to find him all the way out here? “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. I got lost.”

“Try and look where you’re going next time,” Mari huffed. “We were worried about you. You aren’t usually gone this long.”

“I know,” Yuuri hung his head.

Mari rolled her eyes, elbowing him lightly. “Hey,” she said, offering him a smile. “We’re just glad you're okay, yeah? Thankfully, this place is closer to home than you seem to think. See all that coral up there? That’s just like, ten meters away from our reef.”

“Oh,” Yuuri was sure his face must be flushed. “Right. I… thank you for finding me.”

It was only once he had gotten several relieved hugs from his parents and settled back down for the night that Yuuri remembered having had a dream back at the cave. There had been a beautiful, silver haired man, smiling at him and happily gazing upon him with shining blue eyes. “Yuuri, Yuuri,” the man had said, cold hands cradling Yuuri’s chin and leaning forward, their foreheads almost brushing. Yuuri’s breath had caught in his throat. 

“Oh, Yuuri,” said the man, “Wake up.”


	2. Surprise!

When Yuuko had come hurtling towards Yuuri shouting, “Hey, come on! I’ve got to show you something!” Yuuri had had no choice but to let himself get swept up in a flurry of bubbles as she caught his arm in her hand and just about dragged him through the coral and out past the reef.

“W-Wait, Yuuko, slow down!” Yuuri gritted his teeth, eyes squinting shut as she carried them both out into the open ocean.

“You’ll love this,” Yuuko replied, beaming at him with a smile that reached her eyes. “Just trust me. I’ve been talking to your parents and Mari, and they all said it’s fine, so you don’t have to worry about upsetting anyone either, okay?”

Yuuri grimaced. What kind of a place had Yuuko planned to take him that would involve her needing to clear it with his parents first?

His mind started to wander to the Cave, but before he had very long to dwell on it, Yuuko was waving him along and the two of them were swimming quickly onward. When she did stop, Yuuri once again found himself in an unfamiliar place, however this time he was with a friend. And this time, they were significantly closer to the surface.

The _surface_. 

“Y-Yuuko,” Yuuri stammered. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

But Yuuko wasn’t listening. She paused thoughtfully, briefly, before holding out her hand for Yuuri to stay put, and then she shot upwards, breaking through the surface. Yuuri watched her, wide-eyed, but could only make out the tip of her shimmering white tail treading distantly above him. 

Were they… were they going up there? Was that where Yuuko was taking him? Sure, Yuuri had dreamed about seeing land for years, but now that it was right there, now that he could actually _go_ , he wasn’t sure he wanted to. What if they were spotted? What if something tried to hurt him? Or hurt Yuuko?

When Mari had first gone, she had been less than impressed with the whole thing. Yuuri remembered her ranting about it for days, about how all the hype was for nothing, how she’d rather just stay down at the reef with their parents and leave all that surface stuff to the more adventurous.

“Yuuri!”

Yuuri looked up. Yuuko was swimming back down to him, a spiraling wave of excitement. “Come on already. You’ve always wanted to see up there. Now’s your chance!”

Reluctantly, Yuuri set his jaw and nodded once, determined. He followed after Yuuko and this time, they broke the surface together.

Yuuri’s jaw dropped.

The ocean ended in a delicate expanse of white, the waves gently lapping at the shoreline. Rocks lined the edges of the ‘ _…beach_ ’ Yuuri thought to himself. ‘That’s the word’, and even farther out, a huge looming stone castle.

“It’s _beautiful_ , isn’t it? ” Yuuko breathed. “All I could have imagined and more.”

“You haven’t been before today either?” Yuuri asked, turning to face her. “I guess… with your enthusiasm, I thought you would have.”

Yuuko shook her head. “I’ve been learning about it for a while now, but it’s even more incredible in person. See that sand up there? It’s called a beach.”

“Mari’s talked about it,” Yuuri replied. “And castles, too.”

“Castles,” Yuuko repeated, almost reverently. “I wonder what it would be like to visit one. I assume it would be different than anything we have in the ocean. Do you think human royalty is different than merfolk royalty?”

“I guess we can’t know.” Yuuri rubbed his neck, eyes glued to the castle. It was stunningly beautiful, even from all the way out in the ocean. “That’s a world we’ll never be a part of, so—ow!”

Yuuko ribbed him playfully. “Stop that, you never know. And besides, I’ll have you know that I’ve spent the last couple of years learning English. I don’t know if that’s the language they speak over there,” she waved towards the beach, “but I’ve become quite adept at it. I’m sure one day I might even be fluent. Wouldn’t that be the day? I’d be one of the first merpeople to talk to humans.”

“Do you think humans could ever learn our language?” Yuuri found himself asking.

Yuuko tilted her head. “I don't know. But I think it’s fun learning other languages.” She followed Yuuri’s gaze to the castle, and then up to the darkening sky. “I didn’t suppose many people would be out on the beach in this weather,” she mused. “That’s how I got permission to go.”

Yuuri nodded, but he wasn’t sure if what he was feeling was relief or disappointment. What if they _had_ seen a human? What would they do? But Yuuko had a point—the weather out in the open was colder, and it was approaching evening besides. She had really thought all this out, then.

Yuuko made her way closer to the shore, and hoisted herself onto one of the rocks that was still in the water. “I just think people are so fascinating,” she said softly. “There’s a whole world out there—on land—that they get to be a part of. We know nothing about it except the stories we grew up on as little kids.”

Yuuri thought to warn her that she probably shouldn’t be sitting on rocks when just anyone could come around the bend, but he thought better of it. She was right, after all. He wanted to learn more about this other world. Mari may be content with staying close to home, but that just wasn’t for him. He wanted to see things. He wanted to experience things _beyond_ Yuutopia.

Yuuko was beside him again. “Hey, Yuuri,” she said, smiling fondly at him. “Happy Birthday.”

As they headed back home a little while later, Yuuri realized that they were quickly approaching near to where the Cave was. He hesitated, and when Yuuko noticed him pause, she cast a questioning gaze over at him.

Yuuri shook his head. “Um, Yuuko, would you mind heading on without me? I'll catch up with you, but there’s something I need to do first.”

Only when she was out of sight did he turn and dip down into the cave that he had become embarrassingly fond of these past few months. “Hey,” he found himself saying aloud, the statue coming into view. “It’s my birthday today, so my friend Yuuko took me up to see land for the first time.”

He still didn’t know why he did this. After all, if anyone found out he regularly came and talked to a statue, he would never hear the end of it. But it was comforting. And a small part of him hoped that maybe it quelled some of the loneliness of being down here for who knows how long—even if it was an inanimate object. Or maybe he was just lonely himself.

“It sure is amazing. That’s the world you came from, isn’t it? Yuuko says she wishes she could go there. But we can’t with these,” he waved his tail for emphasis. “Anyway, I just figured since I was passing by here, I’d come and say hi. I didn’t tell Yuuko, though. Maybe it’s selfish… but I’m glad I’m the only one that knows about you.” He sat down beside the statue. It was still cold, but he’d taken great care to make sure it wasn’t covered in kelp and algae anymore. “I wonder when you were built…” he said softly. “How long you’ve been here. I’m sure you’ve seen lots of things. I guess it’s lucky that you’ve seen two worlds. You came from up there, but now you get to live down here.”

The statue stood. Yuuri shifted and let himself drift upward, toward the face. It truly was perfectly crafted. Everything about it was flawless. Pristine. Yuuri reached out and touched the stone hair, meeting the stone eyes with his own. The ocean might be the world he shared with his family and friends, but this cave, this _statue_ —this was his.


	3. Other Pretty Things

He couldn’t stop thinking about it. After going up to the beach shore with Yuuko for his birthday, Yuuri found himself going closer and closer to the surface over the course of the next several months. He wasn’t going _alone_ , he had his stingray with him, and from what Mari said, apparently humans were often afraid of stringrays, so Yuuri was sure that probably meant he’d be just fine. He never stayed up there very long, and he usually went at night when he wouldn’t be easily spotted.

It was one of those nights tonight, and Yuuri was floating near the rocks, watching the stars shimmering overhead. Most of the nights he went up here were quiet. It would probably be more crowded again when the air wasn’t so chilled, but for now, Yuuri relished the privacy. 

A soft bump to his shoulder and he turned, smiling. “You probably don't care about this,” he told the stingray, “but next to the stars, those castle lights shine the brightest out of anything else.” As expected, his stingray only continued to lazily flap his wings. Honestly, Yuuri was amazed how often he was followed to the surface at all, his stingray often opting to stay down at the reef instead of accompanying him on his frequent ventures. But not when Yuuri went to the surface. It was like the stingray _knew_ when he planned to go up there, and Yuuri had to admit he appreciated the company.

The castle lights flashed. Yuuri abruptly ducked back under the water, nearly dropping the bag he was holding as he scrambled to grip onto the rock. “What are you doing, Yuuri? They can’t see you all the way out here,” he huffed to himself. He peeked back over the surface toward the beach and then gestured for the stingray to follow him to the opposite side of the rocks. “I wonder if the human that lives in that castle ever comes down to the beach,” he mused. “I would, if I were that close. I’d come every day. Even in these cold months.”

With a sigh, Yuuri ducked back down into the water and took a deep breath, swimming down to the bottom of the shallows and scooping up a handful of shells. “This is the real reason why I brought this along,” he said, holding up the bag. “You weren’t with me then, but I found it in the ocean a while back. I—” he paused, thoughtfully. “I think it belonged to a _human_.” Gently setting the shells in the bag, Yuuri continued, “They drop things sometimes, I’ve found. And it made me thinking… we may not be able to bring Statue Man back to the land, but that doesn't mean we can’t bring the land back to him. I’m going to give him this bag. But along with that… I also want to give him something from the ocean. Something to show that I like having him down here with us, too.”

The stingray flapped again, and Yuuri hovered over the sand for a couple more moments, sifting through it to find the prettiest shells that stood out to him.

“Yuu-ri!” 

Yuuri caught the movement of his stingray as he flitted a short distance away, flattening to the ocean floor and sifting the sand over to hide himself. Turning, he could make out Yuuko waving at him. “Oh, hi!” he called back, clutching the bag tightly. “What are you doing here?”

Before she could answer, she was joined by another merperson. Yuuri tilted his head, processing who it was only when he opened his mouth. “Ah, Yuuri! What’ve you got in that bag there?”

“Nishigori,” Yuuri stammered, by way of greeting. He chose to avoid answering about the bag. He was a bit disappointed, if he was being honest. Sure Yuuko’s boyfriend was decent enough, but he hadn’t quite overgrown his overbearingness over the years. Before he could say anything more, Nishigori hurled himself at Yuuri, grabbing him in a friendly hug. Yuuri had to pull the shell bag closer and shift his arms out a bit to make sure they didn’t get crushed.

“We were just going out to practice some flips!” Yuuko swam down so she was level with Yuuri. “We figured coming out this way, there would be less sea life to bother. The reef’s too crowded.”

“I know what you mean.” Yuuri squirmed his way out of Nishigori’s grip. “I was just leaving though, so you won’t have to worry about bothering me, either…” he cast a glance towards his stingray, who still remained mostly buried in the sand.

Yuuko nodded. “Oh, hey, remind me sometime—there’s something I have to show you when we’ve both got some time. I really think you’ll like it.” She winked, pointing towards the surface. “It’s got something to do with _up there_.”

“Ah, enough of that Yuuko, we’ve got plans!” Nishigori waved her along. “See you around, Yuuri!”

The two swam off, Yuuri watching them as their shapes got smaller. “…Yeah,” he sighed. “I’ve got lots of time.” Even with them gone, his stingray seemed dead set on staying put, so Yuuri gave him a quick pat, readjusted the bag, and continued home by himself.

It was days before he finished his project. At first, it didn’t come out looking like he wanted, and some of the shells had gotten crushed after all, and then it didn’t seem like it would be the right size— but at that point Yuuri decided it would be easier if he modeled that part using his own head. He hoped it would fit. And then finally, it looked good enough. Finally, it was _done_. Yuuri slipped the finished product back into the bag and pressed it closer to his chest before making his way to The Cave.

Sometimes Yuuri made stories up about the Statue Man, about what the real one might be doing, or where he lived. What if he had gone to the very same beach that enthralled Yuuri so much? What if he had stood at the edge of the castle, gazing up at it with the same amount of awe? What if he was one of those humans Yuuri’s parents talked about—the ones who swim deep underwater and wear masks to help them breathe? Perhaps Yuuri’s favorite “what if” though, was that one day, he might know for sure that he had kept Statue Man from being lonely, after all those years that he may have been alone in the cave.

When he once again found himself face to face with the Statue, he took a deep breath and held up the bag. “I know this probably will seem a little weird,” he started, “But I wanted to make something for you. If I was trapped alone somewhere on land, I’d feel so lost. There wouldn’t be anyone I knew, and I wouldn’t be able to get back to the ocean no matter how hard I tried, or how much I wanted to. I can imagine you’re being here is something similar to that. You belong up on land, in view of humans who can appreciate your beauty, not stuck down here.”

Now, he reached into the bag. “But, for the record… I’m glad I’m the one who gets to see you everyday. I’m glad I get to talk to you. It’s like I have a piece of the world up there all to myself. And so I made you something. I thought, maybe it might make you like it down here a little more.”

With that, he pulled out the shell crown. It had been immensely hard to do, what with getting the shells to stay put and keeping them secured on, but with some help from Mari (who thankfully didn’t question him and just went with it) and lots of kelp, he’d managed to make it something he was proud of—something he could present as a gift.

He swam upward so that he was level with the head. “Most of the shells came from near the shoreline, so it’s like a little piece of your home, but also a little piece of mine. Anyway, I hope it fits…”

It did. The crown settled on the stone head just as nicely as it had fit on Yuuri’s. He heaved out a sigh of relief. “It looks beautiful on you,” he said, smiling. “And the bag is for you, too. A human dropped it. They do it a lot, you know. It’s too bad for them, but I guess it’s good for those of us down here. And good for you, because now you have a bag to go with your seashell crown.”

Outside the cave, the water shifted.

Yuuri tensed, freezing in place, his eyes flicking quickly to the mouth of the cave. He hadn’t been discovered, had he? He almost didn’t know what was worse—being found out by his family or friends, or by something dangerous. He didn’t even realize he was holding his breath until the movement outside came again and he gasped.

Heart pounding in his chest, Yuuri knew he couldn’t stay here. If it was something dangerous, being trapped in this cave would be bad news. Keeping as close to the edges of the cave as possible, Yuuri crept along the walls, pulling himself nearer to the entrance in short, calculated movements. How could he have been this _stupid_? He had been so preoccupied with giving the Statue Man the crown that he hadn’t even considered that he might need to make a quick getaway. He was just entertaining the possibility that perhaps something had taken up residence in his cave when something brushed his arm.

“Ahh!” Yuuri jerked backwards, and something shot forward towards the ocean floor in a flurry of sand.

_Oh._

“I-It’s just you!” Yuuri exclaimed, all the nervous excitement leaving him at once—and leaving him exhausted. “I thought you’d have gone back to the reef.”

His stingray remained motionless, and Yuuri thought with biting sarcasm that he couldn’t have been as spooked as Yuuri had been. Heaving in breaths, Yuuri let himself sink down to the sand floor, reaching an arm out to rest on what was visible of the stingray’s back. “There, there,” he murmured. “Don’t do that. I thought… well, I didn’t think it was you.”

It was down there on the ocean floor, tail resting on the sand, that Yuuri caught a glimpse of something shiny out the corner of his eye. “Hold on a minute,” he said to his stingray, and swam over to the thing. It was a small, gold— _something_ —with what looked like gold-tinted glass and two sidepieces.

“What is this…?” Yuuri held it at a different angle, trying to decipher its use. Mari would probably know, he thought, or Yuuko.

Still gripping his new discovery, he returned to his stingray and held it out. “Look at this,” he breathed, awestruck. “You know, I think I have another idea for the cave.”


	4. Collector's Items

Yuuri couldn’t believe his eyes when he found the sunken ship. It was something Mari had talked about a handful of times, but he never imagined he’d be the first one in his family to see one in real life. It was huge, looming over him and looking menacing even here, down at the bottom of the ocean. Going further from home was more commonplace now, so he was careful to keep track of how he got places and the quickest route back home, but out of all the things he expected to see, this wasn’t one of them.

However, the main reason he’d been exploring more in the first place was to gather supplies. Just in the past few days, he’d managed to find a necklace along with what Yuuko told him was a key. She’d scrunched up her nose and said, “Someone’s gonna be missing that,” when she told him, so it clearly held some significance.

Swimming cautiously up to the shipwreck, Yuuri placed a hand on the cool exterior. It seemed to have been here for quite some time, the wood slimy and almost soft under his fingers. He glanced behind himself as he drifted along the side of the ship, just to make sure there was nothing trailing him, and then slipped in through one of the windows. 

The first thing that caught Yuuri’s eye—literally—was the debris. It floated everywhere, making the whole ship murky and hard to navigate. Yuuri could see a couple fish darting in and out of the rooms and some couches littering the area. It wasn’t at all like he’d imagined. When Yuuri pictured a shipwreck, he thought it would be as if it was how it was _on_ the water, but captured in perfect condition on the bottom of the ocean. But this one looked like it was falling apart, with broken tables and torn couches. He made his way over to the next room, swimming over to a table that was tipped over, trapping something underneath. It looked like a book, Yuuri decided, once he’d gotten close enough to make out pages. Nothing was written in it, and one of the pages tore out when Yuuri grabbed it, but he was in awe nonetheless.

And that was when he noticed the box. It was small, tucked between what looked like a stool and the wall. Interested piqued, he pushed the stool away and grabbed the box up, bringing it closer to get a better look at the thing.

“Look at this,” he murmured to himself. He shook it once, and then unlatched the clasp on the front. Inside was another thing Yuuri was unfamiliar with. From the shape of it, it resembled a shell, but it was like no shell _Yuuri_ had ever seen before, and it appeared to be made out of metal or something similar. He turned it over in his hands, hissing sharply as it caught his thumb with one of its openings. So he’d have to be more careful with this thing. He gingerly placed it back in the chest and latched it up again, tucking it under his arm and continuing over to the next room.

In here seemed to be only fish. They mostly all fled when Yuuri darted in, but a couple stayed and ignored him as he peered around corners and over couches and metal canisters. He waved goodbye to the fish as he left.

The next couple of rooms were mostly the same, but he managed to pick up a couple more trinkets and items he found, and then he was on his way to the lower deck.

The water down here was even murkier, if that was possible. Yuuri found another book, but this one he ended up snatching up and bringing along because he liked the cover, and because when he touched it, it didn’t all come apart.

Once he had explored all he could get to (some of the rooms were barred shut or blocked by furniture he hadn't been able to move) he darted back up to the main deck, his findings nearly toppling out of his arms when he took one of his turns a bit too fast. 

And then he was out of the wreckage and on the deck of the ship. It seemed like a couple of octopi and eels had made their homes in some diving helmets on the hull, but deemed it best not to get in their way so he left them alone. He surveyed the area one last time, and then, arms overflowing with trinkets, he propelled himself out and down, retracing the way he had come, only slowing down when he reached familiar waters.

It was funny how somewhere that had started out so foreign could become so familiar now. But after coming to the cave so often, it almost seemed like a second home to him. Sure it was cold, and dreary… but he’d been working on making it less so. 

Entering the cave, it was clear his hard work had paid off. What had once looked so uninviting was now covered in a wide array of things he’d collected over the past couple of months. Seeing as though it’d now been over a year since he first met Statue Man, it was only right that he dress up the place a bit, make it seem more homier and comfortable.

Once the Statue Man came into sight, Yuuri set about unloading what he had picked up. The book he set on one of the larger rocks scattered around the cave. Nearby, the gold-rimmed sunglasses sat as well. Mari had told him what they were. She said humans wore them to protect their eyes from the sun when they brought their boats out, and sometimes they lost them when they would go really fast and the wind picked up—or when they accidentally knocked them overboard with a misplaced elbow. The ones Yuuri had found had apparently broken, but he didn’t care, and he doubted Statue Man cared either. They were pretty, so that was all that really mattered.

“I found this for you, too,” Yuuri said, once everything was unloaded and strategically placed around the cave. “I’m not sure what it is, but it looks a bit like a shell, doesn’t it? I wonder if I could attach a string to it and make it like a necklace somehow,” he told the Statue. Swimming upward to eye level, he clasped his arms around the stone neck. “Look how much happier the place looks,” he mused. “Everything is so bright and beautiful. Just for you.” He glanced at the eyes, but they only stared unseeingly back at him. 

It wasn’t as if he expected a _smile_. Absolutely not. This man was only a statue, after all. Statues couldn’t smile.

His next words caught in his throat and he flushed, pulling away and rubbing his neck. “Right. Um. This is ridiculous. You can’t even talk back to me.” He sighed, letting himself drift by Statue Man’s side.

He didn’t know why, or even _when_ he’d started to sing, but all at once he realized he was reciting a soft tune his parents had sung to him when he was little. One song became two, and then he was singing any old melody that came to mind, flitting about and adjusting the shell crown on the statue’s head and readjusting the other decorations so that everything looked neat and organized.

Once he was done, he returned to the statue’s side. “I should go soon,” he said, after finishing his last song. “It’s probably about time for dinner. But I’ll be back. I always am. And I’ll ask my family or friends about what _that_ is,” he said, nodding in the direction of the metal shell. “Take care.”

As he made his way back to the reef, he kept telling himself he would not let himself be embarrassed about singing to Statue Man. Sure, he was stone, but he felt a connection beyond that. Like there was something he wasn’t getting. And it tugged at him, bringing him back time and again to the cave.

He dipped through the hole in the rock that led to the reef, greeted all at once by his mother’s enthusiastic, “Welcome home, Yuuri! Dinner’s ready!” 

Yuuko was there as well, along with Minako—another family friend—and she waved him over. “I told them you were probably just exploring again,” she said. “So good timing on your part.”

“Ah, yeah.” Yuuri made his way over to them. “Hey, Yuuko. About that thing you wanted to show me…”

It wasn't until after dinner that Yuuri finally had the time to go along with Yuuko to see what she’d wanted to show him. “Okay,” she said, gesturing upward. “But you’ll have to go to the surface. It can’t get wet.”

“We have to go on land?” Yuuri asked, biting his lip. Sure, going to the surface was one thing, but leaving the water? Thankfully though, Yuuko shook her head.

“There’s an inlet off to the side a bit, a ways past where those rocks were that I sit on sometimes. That’s actually where I found it. The inlet is surrounded by rocks, so I tucked it under one of them to keep it hidden.”

Yuuri nodded warily, letting her lead him up to the shore, and around the corner. She waved him onward, keeping the lower half of her face submerged in the water as she slipped over to one of the rocks and produced a small booklet. “It’s a travel guide,” she said, eyes shining. “The only one I’ve found that isn’t ruined by the water. And guess what, Yuuri? It’s written in English.” She flipped it open, and Yuuri leaned forward, straining to look at the small pictures as she pointed to various pages.

“Wow,” Yuuri breathed. “You can _read_ this?” 

“I’ve read it over and over,” Yuuko said, by way of confirmation. She handed him the booklet, and as Yuuri scanned each of the pages and studied the pictures, she continued. “There were a couple words I didn’t understand, but in the scheme of things it doesn’t matter. I still get the gist of it. It even talks about the castle you’re so taken with.”

That was the page Yuuri was on now, judging from the pictures. The castle looked even more stunning there, standing tall and radiant against the backdrop of the bright sky. His eyes scanned down the page, stopping on the image of someone with long light-colored hair, a gentle smile playing across their face. “Who’s this?”

Yuuko tilted the guide toward herself to get a better look. “Ah, you found it. I was just getting to him. That’s Viktor Nikiforov. It says here he used to own that castle like, a _century_ ago. But then, one day, he just up and disappeared. Nobody ever knew where he went. Weird, huh? If you ask me, I say he probably just got bored of being in the public eye and ran away to go live out the rest of his days somewhere quiet. I mean, I probably would. I think I’d get sick of everyone staring at me after a while. After all, at the end of the day, they’re just all people, right?”

But Yuuri was hardly listening by that point. His eyes remained glued to the grainy photo, to the eyes that looked like they were staring right at him. _Viktor Nikiforov_. 

“Yuuri? Yuuri, are you listening?”

Yuuri reluctantly looked away from the picture and back at Yuuko. “Y-Yeah, sorry.”

Yuuko smiled. “I knew you’d like seeing this. You wouldn’t believe how badly I wanted to show you earlier, but you know, we’ve both been busy.”

Well actually, Yuuko had been the only one that had been busy, but Yuuri didn’t bother to correct her. It didn’t really matter, anyway. She’d shown him now, and it was definitely worth the wait. He smiled, clutching the travel guide to his chest. “This is incredible,” he told her. “What else does it say about the castle?”

She told him, pointing out bits and pieces of information that he couldn’t read, but listened attentively to. She flipped through the pamphlet and summarized the rest of what she’d read. When she was done, she tucked it back under the rock. 

“It's there any time you want it,” Yuuko said, “But just don’t let it get wet. That’ll ruin it.”

Yuuri nodded, his mind wandering back to his time exploring the shipwreck, and to the ruined books he’d seen and collected down there. “Thank you, Yuuko,” he breathed. And if he lingered a little longer afterwards to stare at the castle again, well, nobody would ever know.


	5. Discoveries

He supposed he should have known it would happen eventually, but Yuuri had been coming up to the surface for long enough now that he sort of assumed that since he hadn’t seen a human swimming around at night before, he wouldn’t _ever_. But early into the summer months, when the weather was beginning to warm up, Yuuri came up to the surface just as something went propelling over his head, riding the waves as they crashed down over him.

Yuuri ducked back underwater, his eyes glued to the surface as arms appeared from either side of the board, and then legs. _Legs?_

Yuuri’s heart started hammering in his chest. Who would even be out riding waves in the ocean at night? It was so much colder after the sun set. He knew humans tended to be out around the beach and water during the daytime in summer months, but they rarely stayed out after dark. And never once had any of them swam _over_ him. A part of him was shouting to just turn around and come back tomorrow, but he was intrigued, and he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

After several minutes of observing the human, Yuuri realized that they seemed to be sticking to one portion of the ocean and… riding the waves? The arms and legs would disappear the closer the human got to the wave, and then appear again once it had come crashing down. But since the human didn’t seem to be doing anything unpredictable, Yuuri made his way over to the other side of the beach, only coming up once the change in the surrounding rocks signified that he was near the inlet.

He peeked very quickly above water, just to make sure there weren’t any other humans around to surprise him, but thankfully, the area was empty—just as it had always been. Deeming it safe enough, Yuuri swam over to the rocks and pulled out the travel guide, gently flipping it open to the page with the castle. He’d opened it enough times now that there was just a slight bit of water damage where the pages crinkled together from the water on his fingers, but he’d been careful. He figured it only helped him to more quickly recognize which page the pictures were on.

Yuuri couldn’t help but smile fondly back at the prince staring out toward him, his name repeating over and over in Yuuri’s head. He’d spoken the words softly to himself under his breath sometimes, but never loud enough for anyone to hear. And seeing it as many times as he had now, he was almost sure he recognized him. The hair was longer in the picture, but the shape of the face was the same. The eyes were the same. And he knew that if statues could smile, the smile would be the same. He knew the prince in the guide had to be Statue Man.

So then what had happened to him after that picture had been taken to make him want to leave? Did anyone notice right away when he’d disappeared? When did they start looking for him? When did they _stop_? Had anyone cared at all?

Yuuri would have cared. 

He let his eyes linger over the photograph for a little longer, as if by staring at it long enough, he might catch some glimpse of something he hadn’t noticed before. But nothing changed. What had Viktor done after having this picture taken? Had he laughed and returned to his castle? Had he gone to the beach? Had he sat on the sand and looked out over the ocean in the same way that Yuuri looked at the land?

He snapped the guide closed and tucked it back up under the rock. He’d never know what happened after they’d taken those pictures. But what he did know is that he had his very own piece of Viktor down at the bottom of the ocean, a piece that nobody but him knew about. It might even be the last that existed anywhere, ever. And that was of some comfort, at least. Even if it was a little bittersweet.

Coming back out towards the ocean proved more difficult than he’d thought. Yuuri peered around the corner only to see the telltale blonde hair of the human still out riding the waves. Whatever he was doing, he seemed to be doing it well. Not once had Yuuri seen the human fall off the board, nor did it seem like he intended to. In fact, it looked quite fun, and Yuuri couldn’t help but watch with curious fascination as the human rode down one wave and then paddled back up to catch the next. 

It was just when Yuuri had decided it was time to start heading back when he heard a panicked shriek and Yuuri whipped around to catch the human toppling off the board and under a wave. Eyes widening, Yuuri lurched forward, hands outstretched to… what? Help the human? Catch the board?

The board was the first thing that hit Yuuri’s hand, and he gripped it tightly, eyes scanning the area for the human. And after a few seconds, with much relief, Yuuri caught the glimpse of the blond head peeking up over the water and letting out a frustrated groan.

All at once, Yuuri realized two things: He was holding the board. And the stranger was staring directly at him.

Well, glaring would be a more accurate word. Yuuri swallowed, his grip on the board shaky as he maneuvered it over to the stranger and lightly pushed the board towards the human. There was about a half second of confused silence between the two of them before the human started shouting.

“I—I’m sorry!” Yuuri shouted back, raising his hands to his face, but considering he couldn’t make out what the human was saying, he doubted he’d be understood either. Panicking now, Yuuri did the only thing he could think of—he dove back under the water, tail slapping loudly against the surface of the waves as he did so. _Well, shit_. His mind was shouting an endless string of curses at himself as he swam quickly downward toward the only quiet place he could think of: the cave.

He’d been seen. His head was thrumming, spots dancing at the edges of his vision and he only stopped to rest once he’d gotten into the cave and hidden safety behind Statue Man. Viktor. Despite now knowing the man’s name, he still hadn’t used it yet, still getting used to the name on his tongue. But now was no time for that. His hands clutched Viktor’s shoulders tightly as he pressed himself up against the stone back.

“I’ve made a huge mistake,” he said softly, and he could feel his chest tightening, could feel his heart pounding and words catching as he tried to explain himself. “I… I went up to the surface. Yuuko… well, she gave me something with your picture in it. _Real_ you. And I look at it sometimes except this time there was a human and he was riding the waves on a board and he wiped out and I caught the board and he saw me and I gave it back but he started shouting and I dove back under the water but my tail… he had to have seen my tail… he _must_ have.” If Yuuri could cry underwater, he certainly would be right now. He hugged the statue tighter. “What do I do? I know it’s nighttime up there, but you can’t miss a tail. Not like mine.” He flipped his tail for emphasis. “I’m just so scared.”

This wasn’t the first time Yuuri wished Statue Man could speak back to him, but just like the Viktor in the photograph, stone Viktor only continued to stare straight ahead.

Yuuri continued to hold onto the statue, his head buried against the shoulder until his erratic breathing had slowed back to normal and his hands had stopped shaking. Hesitantly, Yuuri pulled back and swam around to face Viktor. “I caught his board though,” he sighed, as if that would somehow right the whole thing. “I gave it back to him. He would have lost it otherwise, or he might have not been able to swim back without it…” He paused for a moment, dreading his next words even as he said them: “Maybe I should stop going up to the surface for a little while. At least until this has enough time to blow over.”

Tracing Viktor’s jawline with his thumb, Yuuri knew it wouldn’t be that easy. He had to go up there again. He _wanted_ to. What if—if he waited too long—someone found the travel guide and took it away?

“I have you down here, though,” he leaned forward then, pressing his forehead to the stone one. “It is you, isn’t it? The prince in the photograph. I know it is. You look a little different then you do there, but it was probably a couple years between someone taking the picture and someone making you. I imagine it takes a while to build a statue, so…” he trailed off. “It’s the eyes, though. They’re the same.”

He was still a bit anxious from the incident with the human, but it was better down here somehow, with Viktor to listen to him, even if he couldn’t say anything.

Yuuri wasn’t sure how much longer he was down there, but he never fully processed that he was leaning against the side of the statue and nearly drifting off before he jolted awake and upright. “I can’t sleep out here!” he said, running a hand through his hair. “My family… the last time I was gone this long was when I first found you. When I got lost.” And it had been ages since then, hadn’t it? At least, it felt like it. “I should go.”

Casting one more glance over his shoulder, Yuuri smiled softly. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then,” he said. “As usual.” He started to head out of the cave, but before he did so, the words came tumbling out of his mouth—the same words that he’d been reciting quietly ever since he first heard it, the name that seemed both so foreign and so familiar to him at the same time. “Goodnight… Viktor.”


	6. So Close

_Breathe in, Breathe out._

“That human is not going to get you,” Yuuri told himself, with conviction, his eyes fixed on the statue of Viktor in front of him. Then, more quietly: “That human is not going to get me.”

He’d had to tell his family and friends back at the reef, of course, but none of them seemed to take it as seriously as he had. He’d even gone to Minako, who’d been practicing her flips and what Yuuri thought was some sort of dance.

“Did you try to talk to him?” Minako had asked. “Maybe he’d have talked to you.”

“He was _angry_ with me,” Yuuri said back, “And besides, he was yelling, and it wasn’t in our language. I don’t know. I think he was mad that I’d seen him wipe out, or that I’d caught his board, or… or… something. He’d started yelling before he saw my tail.”

Minako paused. “He saw your tail?”

Yuuri nodded, burying his head in his hands. “I can’t believe this. I should just never go back to the surface again.”

Minako swam closer, putting her arms on either shoulder. “Look, Yuuri,” she sighed. “The surface holds importance to you. Sure, something went wrong, but you can’t think this is the first time a human has accidentally seen a mermaid. It’ll blow over, it always does. Going up there makes you _happy_. You always seem so much lighter when you come back. Don’t let it get to you too much. Chin up.”

Yuuri hummed an affirmative.

“Does Mari know?”

“And my parents. Yuuko, too. They weren’t worried either.”

Minako nodded, contemplating her next words. “Look. Don’t worry. Go back up there in a few days, and that will keep it from seeming so intimidating. Just you wait, everything will be fine.”

But Yuuri _did_ worry. He worried for days after, and nothing was helping to quell his nerves. Which is why he was still talking about it even now, why he was standing in front of Viktor, hoping that the statue’s calm gaze would somehow calm the battle raging in the pit of his stomach.

Breathe in, Breathe out.

And miraculously, he felt a bit better. Because the statue was of Viktor, after all. A human. And somehow being here, where he was able to study the form of humans without any repercussions, put things into a little more perspective. Not a lot, but enough to reassure him enough to remember his second reason for coming to the cave today.

“Viktor,” Yuuri said, relishing in the gentle flutter that still came whenever he spoke his name. “I’ve brought someone to see you today. I’ve been meaning to, for a while now, but he doesn’t like to come out this way very often. I think maybe it’s the temperature of the water. Or the darkness of the cave. But,” he gestured around, “I’ve seen to that. It’s brighter now. So I managed to convince him, I think.”

He glanced out toward the entrance of the cave. “Okay. Stay here.”

Of course, it wasn’t as though Viktor could go anywhere, but Yuuri found himself holding out a hand anyway and then swam out to the mouth of the cave.

“Vicchan?” he called. “You can come in now!”

Sure enough, the stingray flapped over, bumping into Yuuri’s hand as he reached out to pet his nose. “There you are. I want you to meet someone. He’s always been around for me these last couple years, and I think it’s only right, since you’re named after him and all.” He led the stingray into the cave and around the corner to where Viktor stood. Smiling softly, Yuuri pointed to his stingray. “Viktor, meet Vicchan. Vicchan, Viktor.”

He watched as Vicchan swam closer, seeming to only care about scoping out the cave itself and not so much the statue in the middle, much to Yuuri’s chagrin. He moved toward Viktor, hoping Vicchan would notice Yuuri and take interest, but to no avail.

“He just needs to get used to you,” Yuuri told Viktor. “Once he gets to know you he’ll come around. I can’t get him to leave me alone sometimes, if you’d believe that. I rescued him from a fishing net when he was just a baby, and he’s stuck around ever since,” Yuuri said, smiling fondly at Vicchan. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way. He means the world to me.” He didn’t bother to share that Vicchan hadn’t had an official name until recently—as if saying it aloud would somehow make it more embarrassing.

He let Vicchan explore the cave some more while Yuuri himself stood in front of the statue, finding himself drifting forward, as if there was something deep down pulling him closer. It was always like that whenever he was there. “Look, Viktor,” Yuuri said after a moment. “I just… it’s just that you’re always here to listen to me, whether I’m worried, or happy, or scared… and even if you can’t say anything, you don’t _have_ to. Just having you here is enough. I guess what I really want to say is thank you, Viktor. For being here with me. You’ve given me something to look forward to each day.”

He leaned closer to the statue, all too aware of his heart beating loudly in his chest. He rested his hands on either side of Viktor’s face, wishing for just a moment that instead of the smooth cold stone, he could touch Viktor’s real cheeks. If he closed his eyes, maybe he’d be able to imagine it. Without even making the conscious decision to, Yuuri leaned in to close the space between them.

Vicchan flapped wildly against Yuuri’s side, shocking him into pulling away from Viktor, his lips just inches away from the statue’s as he whipped around to see what was going on. The stingray had accidentally caught the sunglasses with the tip of his barbed tail, and the startled movement of him jerking away had caused the sunglasses to drift to the bottom of the cave, leaving a confused and very spooked stingray.

“Shh, shh,” Yuuri cooed, reaching out to try and settle Vicchan. “It’s okay, you’re okay.” He moved away from Viktor, stifling his disappointment as he snatched up the glasses off the cave floor and set them back into place.

Now that the moment had been interrupted, he rubbed his neck, unable to meet the statue’s eyes. _Had he really been about to kiss it?_ Yuuri sighed heavily, letting out a nervous laugh. “I guess I just got caught up in the moment, Viktor,” he said, softly. “I get the feeling sometimes like… I don’t want to look away. Like there’s something just out of reach and it keeps drawing me closer and closer.” He swallowed, returning his gaze hesitantly to the statue.

“I know that probably doesn’t make any sense. But how about this time, I just do this,” he said, bringing his fingers up to his lips and pressing a kiss to them. He swam back up to Viktor, reaching out and gently placing his fingers to Viktor’s lips. “Here.”

Vicchan had apparently found the way out of the cave then, because Yuuri caught him swimming through the exit out the corner of his eye. He rested a hand on Viktor’s cheek. “Maybe next time I won’t bring Vicchan,” he murmured. “I just really wanted you to meet him. And another thing, Viktor. I know I said I should take a break from going up to the surface, but Minako thinks I should go again, to prove to myself that nothing bad will come of having been spotted. I think she’s right. So… I’ll let you know how it goes.”

He left the cave reluctantly, calling for Vicchan before heading back in the direction of home, only stopping when he heard a distant and excited “Yuuri Katsuki?”

Yuuri turned just in time to see a flash of red and yellow swimming hurriedly toward him. Grimacing, Yuuri moved out of the way as the merperson zoomed past him, swerving back around to come to a stop near Yuuri.

“Do I know you?” Yuuri asked, eyes flicking toward the cave and hoping the newcomer hadn’t seen that he’d just come from there.

“Oh, I’m Minami!” The boy replied, grinning. “Is it true you talked to a human? A real human? On land?”

Yuuri groaned. He’d been hoping that his earlier mishap with the human on the waves wouldn’t get out past the handful of those he’d told, but clearly that was not the case. “Um, yeah,” he replied, reluctantly. “But I didn’t exactly talk to him. It was a lot more unspectacular than you probably think.”

“Don't say that!” Minami huffed, red tail flipping in the water as if he was distressed. “I heard that you saved the human’s life!”

“Again, that’s not what really happened,” Yuuri said, turning away in the hopes that the kid would follow him and he could lead them both a safe distance away from the cave. “It wasn’t anything like that. I just caught his board, that’s all.”

“But how do you know? Maybe he would have _drowned_ if you hadn’t given it back!”

Yuuri shook his head, looking around to see where Vicchan was, and once he caught sight of him, dipped through the hole in the rocks to the reef. Minami followed him, still chatting away about all the things Yuuri hadn’t even done.

He sighed, waving to his mother as she welcomed him home and then turned to Minami. “Look,” he started. “How about you just stay for dinner? I’ll tell you what really happened up there, as long as you don’t keep going on about me talking to humans.”

But his heart wasn’t really in it. All through dinner, his mind kept wandering back to that moment in the cave, when his lips had just been a breath away from Viktor’s, heart threatening to beat right out of his chest, and the nervous flutter he’d felt in his stomach. He’d go back after his next visit to the surface, he assured himself.

Although that day couldn’t come soon enough.


	7. Good Luck Charm

Yuuri treaded just barely below the water as the current rolled gently above him, lifting his fingers upward so that if he moved them just a bit higher, they’d break the surface of the waves. The darkening sky shifted overhead with the tide as the sun set and he tried to convince himself to just _go_ , just check and prove to himself that there wasn’t someone up there waiting for him to make another appearance. But no matter how long he stayed there, just centimeters from the surface, he couldn’t bring himself to actually go and look.

He toyed with the idea of just turning around and going home, but he knew he wouldn’t be happy with just returning to the reef and tending to things at home with Mari and his parents. He couldn’t do it. The wanderlust brimming from every part of him was too strong for that. He couldn’t leave the world up there behind him— just the thought of it made Yuuri cringe. But no matter how long he stared overhead, the rest of him wasn’t moving upward like he was willing it to.

Seconds went by. Minutes. And then finally, with a sigh, Yuuri was swimming downward, back to where to where Vicchan rested mostly buried in the sand. “Not today,” he told the stingray, gently reaching out and petting him. “I know I said I would, but… tomorrow, maybe.” Vicchan shook himself free of the sand and swam up to meet Yuuri. He bumped his shoulder with his nose and then flapped off; presumably to find food or do whatever else he did when they weren’t together.

Frowning, Yuuri turned back towards the reef and hesitated. He had promised Viktor he would report to him once he went back to the surface, but he hadn’t exactly made it that far, had he? For a moment, Yuuri considered skipping the cave all together so he wouldn’t have to admit he didn’t actually go up to the surface. But that thought only made him feel worse, so he headed toward the cave anyway. At the very least, he’d get to see Viktor, and that was what mattered most.

He’d just tell Viktor he’d gotten busy, or that Mari had needed help with something back at the reef and going up to the surface had slipped his mind… or something. However, when he actually got into the cave and was greeted with Viktor’s statue standing tall and looking expectantly at him, all the words that Yuuri had planned to say left him. Instead, he felt his chest tighten and he blurted out, “I messed up, Viktor. I couldn’t do it. The surface was right there, and I could almost touch it but I… didn’t. I wasn’t going to say anything, but it’s your world up there, and here I am down here, too afraid to try again. Should I just cut my losses and go back to the reef and forget all of this?”

He crossed his arms anxiously over his chest. Today was supposed to be triumphant. He was supposed to go up there and prove to himself that everything was fine and the human that had seen him had forgotten all about it, but now he was no closer to getting over that fear than he was the day after it happened.

Yuuri pressed his head against Viktor’s chest. “I’m sorry,” he said, unable to keep his voice from wavering. “I’ll try to go tomorrow. I just need to think about it all, figure out the best way to approach it.” Pulling away, Yuuri glanced up to see the shell crown had shifted just slightly from the constant movement of the water, and he adjusted it so it rested neatly on Viktor’s head. “There you are,” he murmured. “Much better.”

The gentle tug was back, but this time Yuuri was determined not to try and fight it. “Viktor,” he said softly. “Last time, I almost… I know it’s stupid. I wanted to kiss you, and I thought maybe if I went up to the surface today, I would have enough courage to do it for real this time. But now I’m down here with you, and what if… well, I was thinking…” he bit his lip, and then forced himself to continue. “Maybe you can be my good luck charm.” He leaned forward, resting his hands on Viktor’s shoulders. “Viktor, give me the luck I need to go back up to the surface!” With that, he closed his eyes and pressed a kiss to Viktor’s lips, pretending just for a moment that he wasn’t kissing stone, but the soft lips of the gorgeous man who’d owned the castle a hundred years ago. “…There.”

For a second, he felt a flutter of movement against his own lips and Yuuri opened his eyes, expecting to feel the inevitable nervous flutter or prickles of embarrassment, but instead he felt… lighter. Almost like he was glowing? The more he thought about it though, he realized that the glowing wasn’t just coming from him, but outside. From in front of him, actually. Flowing outward.

_Viktor was glowing_.

Yuuri’s eyes widened and he gasped, hurriedly pulling backwards. “V-Viktor?” And this time, the statue reacted. Yuuri reached out, unsure this was even really happening. His fingers brushed against Viktor’s collarbone, except instead of feeling the firmness of stone like he was accustomed to, he was most definitely touching a real person, and the person was moving? Breathing?

No, Yuuri corrected himself. Viktor was _trying_ to breathe, but instead only managed to exhale a stream of bubbles before growing frantic. He began thrashing around, grabbing onto Yuuri’s outstretched arm as he tried to push himself up—pushing Yuuri downwards in the process. _He needs air_ , Yuuri thought, panic welling up inside him. _He can’t breathe under here_.

Yuuri tried to free his arm from the now human Viktor’s grip, trying to force himself to think clearly. “S-Stop!” he shouted, watching wide-eyed as Viktor knocked down the sunglasses and some other items that Yuuri couldn’t remember the name of, the crown sliding off his head and drifting to the floor of the cave. “You can’t go up, that’s not the right way! You’ll drown!” But it was quite clear that Viktor was _already_ drowning so Yuuri did the next best thing he could think of; he wrapped his other arm around Viktor’s waist and shot out of the cave, his own body screaming at him as he pushed the both of them upward as fast as he possibly could.

Yuuri broke the surface, his heart hammering in his chest as he tried to get his bearings. Just in front of him, he could make out the soft shimmer of the beach, and he muttered words of encouragement under his breath. Viktor had let go of the Yuuri’s arm by now. He had actually ceased struggling completely, but Yuuri couldn’t let himself dwell on that. He couldn’t let Viktor die. He was going to get him to shore. 

“We’re almost there. Hold on,” Yuuri said, hoisting him up onto his back and propelling them forward, only stopping once he felt fine grains of the sand under his palms. With some effort, he managed to shift Viktor off his shoulder and onto the beach, brushing the wet hair out of his eyes before leaning down to cup Viktor’s face. His cheeks were soft now, but still cold—clammy. 

Yuuri leaned down and pressed his ear to Viktor’s chest, listening for a pulse, or a breath, a cough. But he wasn’t getting much.

“Come on. Breathe… breathe…” he stammered, choking out a sob. After all those years wishing his statue man was real, he couldn’t lose him like this. Not now. “Viktor?” Yuuri was shouting now, tears streaming down his face as he pressed his hands to Viktor’s chest. “Hey, Viktor. Viktor.”

From somewhere up ahead, almost like an echo, Yuuri heard an exclamation from someone that wasn't himself or Viktor. He glanced up, frantic, gaze falling on the form of a figure moving hurriedly toward them. The human from before was back, and he had dropped his board and was now running toward them.

Yuuri pulled back, all too aware of his tail resting brilliantly in the sand as he lay there with Viktor. The human was screaming at them—at _him_ — and Yuuri recoiled, glancing back toward the water to try and gauge whether or not he could get away. But he didn’t have much time, and he knew the human would be much better prepared to deal with someone who had nearly drowned, so he leaned down and placed one more kiss to Viktor’s lips before pushing himself back out to sea and vanishing under the water. 

Distantly, he could hear the shouting continue on the beach, but he couldn't understand what anyone was saying, and he knew he needed to get away as quickly as he could if he didn’t want to be seen by anyone else. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he thought that Minako had been wrong. The human having seen him _hadn’t_ blown over. He just never imagined he would be so glad about that. 

Yuuri knew he couldn’t just go home after this, so he made his way back to the cave, trying to ignore the emptiness that was filling him up as he saw just how much of a disaster the cave looked now, with everything he had collected scattered about and a huge gaping emptiness where the statue had been.

“Viktor was human this whole time,” Yuuri whispered, swimming down to the bottom of the cave and picking the shell crown back up. “He was human and I didn’t even know.” He turned it over in his hands, finally settling on placing it on a rock near the mouth of the cave. “I was here talking to him, singing to him, telling him _everything_ , and he was just stuck there. And then up on land, I just… I just left him. What if something went wrong? What if I didn’t get him up there fast enough?” His breath was coming in short and he didn’t even know who he was supposed to be talking to now, Viktor was _gone_ and—

Yuuri forced himself to take a deep breath. The human up there had seen Viktor. He’d been running toward them. He was clearly more adept with dealing with a nearly-drowned human than Yuuri would have been. He’d been on the water when he’d first encountered the human, surely he would know all there was to know about dealing with people that were drowning. Surely the human would take care of Viktor.

Yuuri couldn’t let himself get caught up on it right now. He made his way around the cave, putting everything back where it was when Viktor had been a statue, until it almost resembled how it had been. But glancing around now, the cave hadn’t retained the warmness Yuuri had begun to associate it with. It was cold, dreary, empty. 

And Yuuri was feeling pretty empty too. He guessed, then, that he was in good company.


	8. After

Viktor wasn’t there the next time Yuuri went up to the surface. A part of him had thought that he would have come back, but he supposed it was a good thing that the beach was empty—it meant that the human on the board had actually managed to get Viktor out of there, and hopefully to somewhere that he could get help. But then Viktor wasn’t there the time _after_ either. Or the next. And each time Yuuri went up to the surface, he had been holding onto a hope that maybe this time Viktor would be there, but he was always disappointed. It had gotten to the point where he resigned himself to the fact that Statue Man was gone—and probably living a very happy life very far away. Yuuri had to admit to himself that if their roles had been reversed, and Yuuri was the human who had nearly drowned underwater after probably spending a whole century in a cave, he would get out of there as quick as he could and never look back. 

So as the weeks blended into months, Yuuri stopped keeping track of how long it had been. And then he stopped going up to the surface all together.

His family had started to pick up on his mood. At first, he’d still gone to the cave just so they wouldn’t worry and so he could be alone, but it was dark and lonely there without Statue Man. Yuuri tried reorganizing the trinkets he’d used to decorate, but there was no Viktor there anymore, so he wasn’t decorating for anyone but himself, and it quickly lost its appeal—and only made him miss Viktor more. It wasn’t as though he could really explain what had happened to anyone, either. After all, what would he say? “Mom, dad, I found a statue in a cave years ago and that’s where I’ve been but then one day I kissed it and it wasn’t actually just a statue after all—it was a human! And my kiss turned him back but now he’s gone and it’s all my fault”? He couldn’t do that. 

Thankfully, his parents didn’t press too much. It made it better in some ways, but it didn’t help with the loneliness. He wasn’t alone—far from it, in fact. Vicchan stayed around, coming to the reef frequently so Yuuri would pet him, Yuuko dropped by, Nishigori, Minami… but really, Yuuri was just too _tired_.

Remembering what Minako had said before was what finally drew Yuuri out. The first time Yuuri had been spotted by the human on the board, she’d told him not to let it get to him—that going up to the beach was what always made him feel better. But what she hadn’t known is that part of that mood had come from going to the cave as well—seeing Viktor. And really, he was tired of being cooped up at the reef. He had to go do something. Real Viktor or not, he still had the travel guide up at the surface. And he could see the castle. And sit on the rocks. None of that had changed, and it was high time he staredt going back up there. He _missed_ it. And if there was still just the tiniest inkling of hope of seeing Viktor that couldn’t be squashed no matter how many months passed, well… it wasn’t hurting anyone.

Yuuri slipped out of the reef, telling a surprised Mari he was going out and calling Vicchan with a click of his tongue. After all this time, he was more than ready to get back out and do something he loved. Even if it still scared him just a bit.

Thinking back on it, he hadn’t seen the human on the board either since Yuuri had left Viktor on the beach, which could mean anything. Yuuri hoped that he’d forgotten all about seeing a mermaid and gone back to doing whatever he’d been doing before he’d seen Yuuri that first time. Occasionally he’d wished that he could have spoken to the human, but even if there hadn’t been yelling involved or a beautiful half-drowned _not-statue_ man, he didn’t understand what language the human had been speaking. The words never had made any sense. 

Vicchan nuzzled Yuuri’s hand, drawing him out of his thoughts and back to the task at hand. “Right,” he said softly. “The surface.” Pausing, Yuuri bit his lip. “I… know it’s been a really long time since we’ve done this,” he started. “But I can’t stay down there at the reef. It’s not doing anything for me. I’m tired of feeling that way, and it just makes everything harder. Which is why I need someone to come with me when I go back up there.” He pointed upward. “Are you ready?” 

Vicchan flapped his wings and turned to start swimming upward, and Yuuri couldn’t help but smile as he followed along after him. Going directly up to the inlet instead of coming toward land head-on seemed like their best bet this time around, seeing as though he wasn’t sure he wanted to risk seeing any humans still on the beach, so Yuuri directed Vicchan around toward the side a bit and then continued up out of the ocean. It never ceased to impress him, coming up to the surface and seeing the castle standing tall in the distance. 

The lights flickered out into the dark sky, and Yuuri turned to Vicchan as he drifted around the inlet to the rocks that hid the travel guide. Prying the booket out from under the rocks, Yuuri leafed through it until he was greeted with the picture of Viktor staring back at him. “You know, Vicchan,” Yuuri said, sighing as he thumbed over the image of Viktor. “He’s beautiful here, but it doesn’t even compare to how he is in real life.” He took a deep breath, lifting the guide to his lips and pressing a gentle kiss to the photograph. “I sure hope he’s doing okay out there,” he mused. He set the guide aside and hoisted himself up onto the rocks, like Yuuko had done when they’d both come that first time. “That castle used to be his. I wonder if he’s there now. Probably not, huh? It’s nice to imagine sometimes though that maybe he’s gone back and people will recognize him as the long lost prince and let him live there again. He deserves it, after being stuck at the bottom of the ocean for so long.” 

He was sure Vicchan wasn’t listening as he swam lazily around the half of Yuuri’s tail that was still submerged in the water, but it didn’t matter too much. It felt better just being able to talk, even if it was only to Vicchan. “I wonder if Viktor ever thinks of me like I think of him,” Yuuri mused. “I wonder if he even remembers any of it at all.”

Vicchan bumped into Yuuri’s tail and he peeked down at the stingray, reaching a hand down to stroke his smooth rubbery back as he flapped around and explored the nearby rocks. “You like it up here, don’t you?” he asked. “I’m sorry it’s been so long since we’ve come.” He leaned back, bracing himself with his arms as he sat on the rock.

It was all too suddenly that Vicchan seemed to notice something and vanished to the bottom of the inlet. Yuuri inhaled quietly, perking up and glancing into the water. “Vicchan?” he asked. 

He wasn’t alone. As soon as he stopped speaking, he was made all too aware of the sound of something snuffling behind him. And then something bumped up against his back. Something _wet_. Yuuri froze. With his tail still in the water like it was, it wasn’t too visible unless he drew attention to it. He inhaled another quiet breath and slowly glanced over his shoulder toward the source of the noise. 

A dog. Yuuri’s jaw dropped. He’d heard about dogs before, certainly. He’d even seen a few far off on the beach when he’d used to watch the humans in the summer. But never before had Yuuri seen one this _close_. The dog was large, with curly brown fur and bright eyes that remained fixed on Yuuri. So this was why Vicchan had taken off so quickly. Yuuri should have taken the hint himself.

The dog leaned forward, pressing its nose against Yuuri a second time, tail wagging. Yuuri glanced back at the water and slowly exhaled before reaching his hand out toward the dog, gently resting his palm against the dog’s nose. The tail wagging increased, and the dog pressed its face into Yuuri’s hand and licked his fingers.

This… wasn’t so bad. The dog seemed friendly at least, and although Yuuri was careful not to let his guard down, he didn’t feel like he was in any sort of danger. Yuuri lowered his hand to the ground beside the rock, and the dog’s eyes followed the movement as he began tracing lazy circles in the sand. Leaning forward, he started humming absentmindedly to himself, the circles taking on a more recognizable shape before Yuuri processed that he was in fact trying to draw the face of the dog in the sand. “Look,” Yuuri said after he was done. He leaned down and directed the dog’s gaze to the rough lines in the sand. “It’s you. If you squint, you can tell. See?”

“Makkachin!”

Yuuri’s eyes widened and his back straightened instantly as he heard a human’s voice, followed by what was unmistakably a whistling noise. There was no doubt about it—he didn’t understand the words the voice was saying, but still Yuuri knew he only had a matter of seconds before the human would come around the corner and see the dog, and more importantly, see _him_. Yuuri untangled his fingers from the dog’s fur and slipped into the water. “I have to go now,” he said, pulse racing, “I can’t let any more humans see me, and it sounds like someone is looking for you. You get back to them. Take care.”

He couldn’t waste any more time. Yuuri turned and dipped back under the water, the gentle ripples from his tail the only indication that anything had ever even been there at all. 


	9. So He Knows

Yuuri should have realized that he wouldn’t be able to stay away from the surface again now that he’d gone back. At first, a part of him reasoned that it was best to keep away as much as possible—limit the number of humans that may see him. But he didn’t want to. He was rekindling an excitement for the land and the humans that he had thought he’d lost when he’d lost Viktor, but apparently that wasn’t the case. He’d come to realize that even though the human on the board might not be there, or the dog, Yuuri was still experiencing new things every time he went up there. It was starting to satisfy the craving he had for learning about humans and how they lived, even if it was only from snapshots he got from nights watching them on the beach. 

He was still wary of getting too close to them, but that was why he always chose to visit after dark. Except for the rare handful of times, people usually didn’t swim late into the night and even in the summer, the waters ran too cold after the sun went down. But sometimes they’d sit around on chairs on the beach, play games, gather shells, and it was all so _fascinating_ to Yuuri. They never noticed him bobbing in the water, the darkness of the sky and the lights surrounding them conspiring against their eyesight and keeping them from spotting Yuuri watching from a distance. 

Which is why Yuuri didn’t immediately panic when he came up to the surface and saw someone sitting alone on the beach. Well actually, Yuuri realized, as he swam closer, not _entirely_ alone. That was what finally got him to pause and take in the situation. The human had a dog. Hesitantly, Yuuri moved just slightly forward, careful to tread quietly as he drew nearer to the land. The human was sitting in the sand, knees drawn up to his chest and head buried in his hands. The dog was sitting beside the human, nose pressed against his legs, and Yuuri quickly recognized it as the dog that he had encountered before. Only once he had gone even closer could he make out the shaking of the human’s shoulders, the soft quivering breaths as Yuuri drew nearer to the beach and pulled himself up to peer over one of the rocks near the shore, to the side of where the human was. 

The person was crying. 

Yuuri could feel the heaviness in the air, hear the soft breaths as the human wiped over his eyes, and then reached down to pet the dog. The tail wagging started, first hesitantly and then with increasing speed much the same way the dog had responded when Yuuri had pet him. Yuuri wanted to simultaneously go closer and talk to the human, comfort him… and turn around and keep out of the way. After all, what could he do? He didn’t know what the issue was, and he was clearly not adept at interacting with humans. 

“Makkachin,” the human said, voice muffled slightly from having his head in his hands. Makkachin—Yuuri still didn't understand the word, but he repeated it softly to himself under his breath, hoping that somehow the word would serve as a connection, a bridge between their two very different worlds. 

But that was a mistake. The dog lifted her head instantly, turning to look at Yuuri watching from behind his rock. Once they made eye contact, Yuuri realized it was all over. The dog jumped to her feet, barked once, and took off into the water, paddling right towards him. 

Yuuri noticed that the human had gotten up as well. He was staring out towards the ocean, cupping his hands and whistling a command as he stepped closer to the edge of the water. Yuuri’s breath caught in his throat. 

_It was Viktor Nikiforov_. He’d recognize him anywhere, from years and years spent swimming circles around his statue, looking into the stone eyes—which were very much not stone now, and gorgeous even from the distance—and leaning up against him, beside him, kissing him. 

Viktor was here. He hadn’t left. He was on the beach. And he was standing at the edge of the water, calling his dog and staring directly at Yuuri but not able to make out any details beyond the silhouette of a head in the water. Viktor called out again, and this time Yuuri had the feeling that he was no longer speaking to Makkachin, but to the form in the water: to _him_

Yuuri quickly ducked behind the rock, out of the line of sight. He could hear Makkachin splashing through the water and against every fibre of being that was telling him to stay, Yuuri turned and pushed off the rock, diving back underwater in one fluid movement. 

He had a plan. He thought about it the whole next day, and when he had a free moment and the evening was drawing nearer, Yuuri made his way back to the cave, unable to stop the pinpricks of excitement building up inside him. After all this time, all these years of disappointment, Viktor was back. He was _here_. Yuuri had to do something; there was no way after waiting this long, feeling stupid and lonely and sad that he was about to let Viktor go without at least trying to make contact. He might not have another chance. He didn’t think he was quite ready to interact up front with him yet, but he could establish a connection at least; keep him coming back—and he knew just the thing. 

The shell crown was still where he’d left it the last time he went to the cave, on the rock jutting out near the entrance. Yuuri snatched that up and held it close, scanning the area for the other trinkets he was looking for: the bag and the metal shell. “A _whistle_ ,” Yuuri said aloud, placing it and the shell crown into the bag and then carefully lifting it up over his shoulder. And then he was off, heading back up as the sun set overhead. 

When Yuuri reached the surface, his trepidation wasn’t from fear or concern, but anticipation. Viktor might be there. In fact, he was counting on it. He peeked his head up as he slid along the side of the rocks, relieved to see that sure enough, Viktor _was_ there. The dog was too, fetching sticks that Viktor was throwing for her. 

Good. Yuuri’s plan wouldn’t have worked if she hadn’t been there. He swam over around the side toward the inlet, hoisting himself up out of the water and on land, setting the bag down beside him and began to work. He recreated the image of the dog from memory, outlining her face in the sand and extending his drawing of her to include the body this time. With any luck, there would be no mistaking that the dog he’d drawn in the sand was Viktor’s. 

He leaned back, admiring the drawing. It wasn’t top-notch by any stretch of the word— as it so happened, sand wasn’t particularly conducive to drawing, but it was the best he could do. He picked the bag back up, taking out the shell crown and set it gently beside the drawing of the dog. 

“Okay.” Taking a deep breath, Yuuri reached back in the bag and fished out the other part of his plan. He’d heard Viktor whistle for the dog twice now, so with any luck, this would work just as well. He tipped it, letting the water run out of it and then held it up to his lips and blew. 

The whistle was much louder than Yuuri could have imagined. He flinched, dropping it like he had been burned, quickly snatching it back up and holding his breath. He didn’t have to wait long; he heard the quickly approaching noise of paws thudding heavily on the ground, directly toward him. Yuuri held out his hand to try and get the dog to stop, guiding her slowly around so she wouldn’t step on the crown or the drawing in her excitement.

“Hi,” he said slowly. “Viktor better be behind you.” He reached out to give the dog a quick pat and then pushed himself back into the water, but he wasn’t ready to leave right away. Yuuri swam over to a rock near the inlet and leaned onto it, gripping it tightly while he waited with bated breath until he caught sight of Viktor. 

Up close, Viktor was even more incredible now that he was human again. His hair was a gorgeous silver, with big blue eyes that Yuuri would have happily gotten lost in if given the chance. If it weren’t for his plan, he may have just been compelled to go over and say something. Ask, “Do you remember? Do you remember any of it? Do you remember me?” but he didn’t. 

Viktor was approaching the crown. He bent down next to his dog, pressed two fingers to the lines in the sand, and then picked up the shell crown, thumbing over the smooth edges and then lifted his gaze up out toward the water.

All at once, Yuuri realized that Viktor was staring again. This close, there was no mistaking that Yuuri was there in the water, pressed up against the rock— no doubt mirroring the shocked expression that was looking back at him. It hadn’t initially been a part of the plan to have Viktor see him, but now that he had, Yuuri couldn’t imagine it going any other way. Viktor _had_ to see him. He had to know it was _Yuuri_ who had drawn his dog, left him the crown.

“It’s only right that you have it back,” Yuuri said, horrified that he was speaking even as the words left his mouth. Viktor didn’t respond, just continued to stare, slack-jawed, something like awe or confusion etched in every one of his beautiful features.

Yuuri turned then, jumping off the rock and diving back underwater. He didn’t stop swimming until he got back home to the reef. 


	10. Small Talk

“—and Vicchan, I still can’t get over that he saw me,” Yuuri was saying, petting the stingray. He must have hit a wrong spot then, because Vicchan twitched his tail and Yuuri jerked his hand back with a hurried apology. “I just… well, of course I have to go back. Do you suppose he kept the shell crown?” 

Vicchan moved away, and Yuuri sighed. “I’m going back tonight,” he said, determined. “I don’t know if Viktor will be there, but I have to try. I want you to come with me, okay? Not that that’s anything new, you tag along more often than not, but…”

He couldn’t get his mind off of seeing Viktor. But that dredged up a whole new wave of questions: why hadn’t he come to the beach sooner? Was he going to come back again? Had what Yuuri given him been enough to keep him intrigued? And most importantly, how much did he remember?

It was time to go before Yuuri even knew it, and he gathered up Vicchan and his whistle and made his way to the surface, trying—and _failing_ — to keep the excitement at bay as he approached. He didn’t hesitate this time as he came up out of the water, the tide a gentle tug around him as he drifted and scanned the beach for any signs of Viktor.

There. He _was_ there! Yuuri splashed his tail excitedly and swam toward shore. Viktor had his back to him, throwing what looked like sticks for his dog. Yuuri watched them both quietly for a moment, reveling in the way Viktor would reach down and scratch his dog behind the ears after she retrieved every throw. He was sure he probably looked completely awestruck and embarrassing, but he just loved that he was able to see this. That Viktor came back and could stand on the beach with gorgeous long legs and play fetch with his dog. It was just so _simple_ but he loved every minute of it. Finally, deciding it would be better to let Viktor know he was here instead of waiting for him to notice, Yuuri raised the whistle, shook the water out and blew just loud enough to be heard.

Both Viktor and his dog glanced over. Viktor seemed to pause for a minute, so Yuuri lifted his arm up out of the water and waved. Vicchan bumped into his tail then and he used his other arm to awkwardly fumble around and give him a reassuring stroke. 

“It’ll be easier to go to the inlet,” Yuuri told Vicchan, tilting his head down to peer at the stingray. “That way we can talk to him without having to leave the water.” And then, more quietly: “I don’t know if he remembers my having a tail.” He caught Viktor beaming at him and gestured for him to go around the corner to the inlet, hoping he’d get the message as Yuuri led Vicchan over as well. He made his way around to the rocks, leaning up against them and waited.

_Waited_.

Surely it didn’t take Viktor this long to walk around a corner, did it? Yuuri frowned and slipped back into the water, pushing away from the rock and peeking back around toward the beach. 

Viktor wasn’t alone now. Yuuri could see that he was closer to where the inlet was, which meant maybe he had started to follow when he was interrupted. The human coming toward Viktor was just around his height, maybe the slightest bit taller, with blonde hair and a brown undercut that Yuuri could just barely make out if he squinted— but it was too dark to be able to see much else. He spoke loudly and laughed even louder, and Yuuri lowered himself into the water so just his eyes and the top of his head were still visible. 

Then Viktor was turning back toward Yuuri and the ocean. He pointed out toward it, and Yuuri wished he somehow knew what they were saying over there. Not wanting to be seen by this new person, Yuuri pulled himself back over to the inlet as gently and quietly as he could. Vicchan was still with him, but Yuuri could tell he was getting bored by the way he flapped restlessly around, rubbing up against Yuuri’s tail and the surrounding rocks. 

He wasn’t going to stick around with the strange human so close by, but Yuuri still had to let Viktor know he’d been waiting. He swam over to the rocks the travel guide was under and pried it out from underneath before returning to the spot in the sand where he’d drawn the dog and left Viktor the shell crown. He placed the guide down, flipped it open to the page with the picture of younger Viktor, and set about attempting to draw the castle. It was harder than drawing a dog, but he made do. Hopefully even if Viktor couldn’t tell what it was, he’d still know that Yuuri had been the one who’d drawn it. 

“Okay, Vicchan,” Yuuri whispered. “Let’s get out of here.”

The next few nights proved to be much of the same. It was as though Yuuri could hardly get a moment alone with Viktor. He just wanted to see if they could communicate somehow, and having their moments being constantly interrupted before Yuuri even got a word in edgewise was starting to frustrate him. But the one thing that remained consistent in their limited interactions was the drawings. To Yuuri’s relief, Viktor seemed to be seeing them. And what was even better—he’d started leaving drawings of his own for Yuuri. He must have been drawing them during the daytime though, because when Yuuri showed up, there they were, already there for him to find.

With the drawings that Viktor did, the lines were always neater, and Yuuri figured that of course Viktor’s drawings would be neater. He doubted that Viktor had used his hands like Yuuri did, so it only made sense. And every time Yuuri peered over onto the sand, he couldn’t help but beam when he saw Viktor’s drawings. He almost felt bad about brushing them away to draw a new one of his own, but he knew Viktor wouldn’t mind. 

They’d established a routine, the two of them. Yuuri would leave his own drawings by night—and occasionally a shell he found or something else from the ocean— and Viktor would see it and leave his own drawings for Yuuri during the day. 

And then one night, to Yuuri’s utter delight, Viktor _was_ there again. And he was alone. He was sitting on the rocks at the edge of the inlet, legs dangling in the water when Yuuri popped up in front of him. 

Viktor startled, eyes widening for a second before his expression of mild concern changed into a huge smile that was enough to make Yuuri _melt_. Yuuri waved, drifting quietly closer, trying to ignore his heart pounding in his chest. This was the closest they had ever been to each other since Yuuri had saved him the day he’d changed back, but it was no less thrilling and intimidating now than it had been then. 

Viktor said something, but Yuuri couldn’t understand so he shook his head. He swam closer and leaned up against the rock Viktor was sitting on, lifting his gaze to meet Viktor’s eyes. 

He was holding his breath. He hadn’t even realized he had been until Vicchan came up above water beside him and Viktor sprung up on the rock, startled. “It’s okay!” Yuuri exclaimed, reaching out to steady Vicchan. “It’s okay! Viktor, I promise. He won’t hurt you. You’ve met before, he’s…” 

But Viktor was shaking his head frantically, and Yuuri let his words trail off. He worried that maybe he’d gone too far, and now Viktor was _scared_ but then instead of running away, Viktor knelt down in the sand and grabbed a nearby stick, drawing something and then pointing. 

Yuuri moved closer to glance at the picture in the sand, realizing that no, it wasn’t a drawing. It was a word. A word that Yuuri had spent years studying, _memorizing._

Viktor.

Yuuri pursed his lips. Glanced up at Viktor. And then beside Viktor’s name he wrote his own, the sand getting just a little muddy from the water dripping off his hand and arm. 

Viktor leaned forward and knitted his brow. Shook his head. 

Yuuri glanced back over his shoulder at Vicchan, and then paused thoughtfully for a moment as he tried to think of something that would get through to Viktor, and— _He knew what to do._

Yuuri beamed, pointing at the moon. He waited for Viktor to follow his gaze to the sky before Yuuri turned and leapt out of the water and back under. He could only hope that Viktor would get the message and come back tomorrow night. And if there was any doubt that he’d forgotten that Yuuri had a tail, he certainly knew now.

“Yuuko! Yuuko!” Yuuri shouted excitedly as he swam through the rocks back to the reef in a flurry of bubbles, Vicchan trailing behind him. 

“Yuuri?” Yuuko had been talking to Nishigori, but they’d both paused in their conversation once Yuuri had come racing over, surprise etched into both their faces. 

“Yuuko.” Yuuri repeated, sure he probably looked happier than he had been in a long time. “Yuuko. If it’s not too much trouble, please teach me English!” 


	11. Reintroductions

A single day was hardly enough time to learn a language. Yuuko said he was a fast learner, but Yuuri was inclined to believe she was only saying that to make him feel better. The new words tasted strange and foreign on his tongue, and he stumbled over his sentences more than he would like. Thankfully, though, he only really needed to learn enough that first night to communicate to Viktor that he was _trying_ and since Yuuri had spent a great deal of years talking to someone who couldn’t speak back to him, he was determined to finally have a full conversation.

The first few meetings were very awkward and jumbled, but Viktor was more than delighted to work with him. He said merpeople must be faster at learning languages than humans were, but Yuuri had no frame of reference to go off of, so he just shrugged.

Now, Viktor sat up on one of the rocks, kicking his legs in the water as he tested the name out loud: “Yuuri.” He spoke clearly, the syllables drawn out in such a way that Yuuri decided then and there that he would be perfectly content just hearing Viktor saying his name over and over for the rest of his life.

Yuuri nodded. “Right.” He said. The words still sounded a bit off to his own ears, but if Viktor noticed, he didn’t say anything. Yuuri swam around to Viktor’s other side and sat up on the rocks. As it was, speaking to Viktor was a lot harder in practice than it was in theory, and Yuuri frequently found himself nodding and letting his sentences die off when he couldn’t think of the right words.

“And the stingray,” Viktor started again, “That’s…?” 

“Vicchan.” Yuuri said, trying to will down the slight flush of his cheeks when Viktor quirked a smile. “You’ve met before, in the cave.”

“Ah,” Viktor replied. He still didn’t seem entirely comfortable touching Vicchan, but Yuuri didn’t blame him. A lot of humans weren’t terribly keen on getting too close to a stingray. It was actually part of the reason Yuuri enjoyed having him nearby on trips to the surface, although he hoped that Viktor would eventually be comfortable enough to want to.

“And your dog is Makkachin.” Said Yuuri, glancing up on the sand where Viktor’s dog sat, watching the two of them with bright eyes. Viktor hummed a confirmation. “I got her after I was released from the hospital, to help with… adjusting back to life here.”

Yuuri wanted to tell Viktor right then about _everything_. About finding him as a child, talking to him, singing to him, kissing him, but the words wouldn’t come, and he couldn’t ignore the way Viktor’s eyes kept drifting down to Yuuri’s tail— an unspoken question in his lingering gaze. Finally, Yuuri flicked his tail upward. “It’s real, you know,” he said. “I live in a reef, down at the bottom of the ocean.”

“Wow,” Viktor breathed. He reached out a hand as if to touch, and Yuuri instinctively moved his tail away before he realized he'd done so. It wasn't that he didn't want Viktor to touch his tail, he just hadn't been expecting it. Viktor brought his hand back to rest on his lap. Yuuri sighed.

They fell into a silence for a few heartbeats before Yuuri spoke again, deciding that he had spent long enough waiting to hear Viktor talk to him. “How did you know to try speaking English to me?”

“Lucky guess,” Viktor replied. “It’s not my native language either, actually. The first time I saw you I spoke to you in Russian, but you didn’t understand, and I thought maybe you were a tourist. And then I realized you weren’t even human. I figured since you didn’t know Russian I would try my luck with English.”

Yuuri watched Viktor kick his legs in the water, flipping his own tail again as well. “I was hoping I’d see you again,” he said at last. “Do you… do you remember being stoned?”

Viktor smiled. “You mean do I remember being a statue?” 

“Yes?” Yuuri said, but it came out sounding more like a question. He settled onto the rock and leaned in. He wasn’t sure what he was hoping the answer would be. A part of him wished Viktor would say yes, that he remembered all of it and he couldn’t resist staying away from Yuuri after he’d come to keep him company all those years. Another part of him decided that if Viktor didn't, at least Yuuri would be spared from the embarrassment.

Viktor drew his legs up, silent for a moment, the only sound being Makkachin splashing about in the water. “I know I was,” he replied. “I have a friend who was involved, and he… helped me get back on my feet. Get used to all the changes here as much as possible.”

“Was it the human on the board?”

Viktor looked confused, so Yuuri let him continue. “I remember water,” Viktor gestured to the ocean, “And tunes to songs I’ve never learned. Not much else.”

Yuuri felt a rush of affection when he heard that. So out of _everything_ , what Viktor remembered the most was the songs Yuuri sang to him and his home—he supposed he wouldn’t know what to say if Viktor had remembered all the things he’d said to him. If he remembered the _kiss_.

Viktor smiled softly. “As it is, it’s hard to adjust to a world that’s been going on for a hundred years without you.”

“I can imagine,” Yuuri replied. He wanted to say more, wanted to tell Viktor that he’d been waiting for so long to see him, that he worried he wouldn’t ever come back, but here he was and here Yuuri was and here they were having a real conversation and this time Statue Man could talk back just like Yuuri had always wanted. 

And Yuuri didn’t have a clue what to say to him. 

He wasn’t about to blame it on the language barrier. He would be working on getting better at it and he just hoped Viktor would be willing to keep coming back. 

“I came to see you right after you changed back,” Yuuri said softly. “Lots of times. But you weren’t there.”

“It’s been hard to get away,” Viktor answered. “After Yuri saved me—the human on the surfboard I think you were talking about— he didn’t really stick around.” he smiled softly. “Kind of like you. But he’s the prince now in that castle, and I… well, I had to craft another life for myself. After all, nobody is going to believe that a prince from a century ago is still alive. The person I was is dead, and I just have to readjust. I haven’t had very many moments alone.”

“I see,” Yuuri furrowed his brow. “And person that was with you the other day, with the hair…”

“Chris.” Viktor replied. “You know, I think he would be very interested in meeting you. Actually, he’s been around for as long as I have, longer even. He knows about merpeople, but I don’t know if he’s ever met one. It’s just how he is, part of his…” Viktor waved his arm. “Powers. He can explain it better than I can.”

“So how _did_ you turn to stone?” Yuuri asked. It was the question that had been lingering in the back of his mind ever since he realized that Viktor had been human. 

Viktor smiled sadly. “Well, Yuuri. That’s quite the long story.”

Yuuri settled up beside him, the side of his tail just barely resting against Viktor. “I have time.”


	12. The Curse

Viktor pressed a finger to his lips. “Ah, it’s more complicated than that,” he started. “I don’t really—”

“So you’re the one that Viktor keeps sneaking off to see.” 

Yuuri tensed up, his fingers digging into the rock. He quickly scanned the inlet to pinpoint where Vicchan was before launching himself into the water. 

“Yuuri!” He could hear Viktor calling for him from the rocks, his voice muffled as he swam deeper. He didn’t want to leave Viktor alone up there, but there had been another person coming!

Except that person had seemed to _know_ Viktor. Which meant… Yuuri figured it must be Chris, then. And Viktor had said something earlier about Chris wanting to meet him, about having powers. Yuuri forced himself to pause in his retreat, glancing upward toward the surface. He couldn't just swim off like this. He didn’t want Viktor to think he was angry with him, or that he didn’t want to hear about how Viktor had ended up as a statue hidden away in a cave. And maybe this Chris person could help explain some of what had happened after Viktor had turned back and why it took him so long to come to the beach again.

Yuuri reached out to pet Vicchan, who had followed him once he’d started to take off. “I need to go back,” he told him, sighing heavily. “I can’t keep doing this. We won’t get anywhere that way.” Vicchan flapped his wings and continued onward, presumably to the reef. Yuuri watched him go before he firmly set his jaw and turned around, swimming back up toward the inlet. When he broke the surface, he could see that it was indeed the same man that he’d seen with Viktor before—Chris. Viktor was beside him, his expression schooled into a grin as he spoke in a quiet, insistent tone, saying words that Yuuri couldn’t quite make out.

Chris glanced outward toward the water once he heard the telltale splash that Yuuri had returned. His mouth fell open in a silent 'oh'. Viktor followed his gaze, expression softening when he saw Yuuri there and lifted his arm to wave him over. 

Yuuri glanced between the two, still a bit unsure about this Chris character. But if Viktor trusted him…

“I was worried you wouldn’t come back,” Viktor said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think Chris would come this time, I figured I’d just ask him another day.”

Yuuri settled in to Viktor’s left, a little ways away from where Chris was sitting on a beach towel spread out on the sand. “I still want to hear what happened to you,” he replied. “About how you turned to stone.”

Chris raised an eyebrow and rocked back on his hands. “I believe I can help some with this one,” he said. “I don’t remember all of it myself, but I remember more than Viktor does, at least. I can fill in some of the blanks.”

“Yuuri,” Viktor said, sharing a glance with Chris. “So that thing about Chris— he's immortal.” 

Yuuri tilted his head then and Viktor must have picked up on it because he added, “He can live forever if he’s careful. And he’s got magic, too. Kind of like a witch, but not exactly. He’s got contracts. I don’t really know all the details, but…”

“I’m the only one like me,” Chris chimed in. “At least that I know of. But I don’t exactly go around telling _everyone_ that I can do these things. Yuuri, you’re a special case because you’re a merperson. And the one who saved Viktor, from what I gather.”

Yuuri nodded. 

“So yes; I have contracts. But I don’t offer my powers to just anyone. I've learned to be a bit more selective as the years have gone on. Essentially, when there’s someone I think I can help, I suggest a contract and then it’s a win-win for both of us.”

Viktor held out his hand to stop Chris. “We’re getting ahead of ourselves here.” He turned to Yuuri. “Chris and I were friends when I was younger, back when this was my world and I was a prince who had a castle and everyone knew my name. But I was lonely, and he was having a bad day—“

“It wasn’t quite that simple to say it was _only_ a bad day,” Chris said, leaning forward to rest a hand on Viktor’s shoulder. “Someone found a loophole to get out of one of my contracts. How could they even want to, after everything I do to help people? I just try to give them what they want. Naturally, I was furious.”

Yuuri turned to Viktor. “You made a contract with him?” he asked. 

Viktor shook his head. “No, not exactly.”

“He was despondent, the poor thing,” Chris explained. “About something or other, the poor thing. And I was upset too, so I thought we could both use a night out with a couple drinks to relax. To be completely honest, I didn’t even think I could get drunk, with my being what I am. But I found out that night that even I have my limits.”

Viktor frowned, and Yuuri wished he could bring back his smile. “Chris cursed me,“ Viktor said. “Not intentionally, of course. He was trying to help, I think. Except for that, neither of us can remember the details of the curse, but I ended up as a statue in the bottom of the ocean.”

“Like sleeping beauty.” Chris chuckled. “When I woke up the next day, Viktor was gone. I remembered enough to know it was because of something I did to try and make him feel better, to keep him young and beautiful so…” he trailed off with a shrug. “But it didn’t go right of course, and I must have panicked and put him somewhere.”

“The bottom of the ocean,” Viktor said dryly. 

“That’s where I found you,” Yuuri told him. “In a cave. It was hidden away. _I_ wouldn’t have even found it if I hadn’t gotten lost.”

Chris tilted his head, seeming to consider this. “Interesting,” he mused. “I did look for him at first, but I didn’t want to risk being connected to the missing prince. I had to distance myself. So Yuuri, you found him in a cave as a statue, and then he just… turned back?”

Yuuri swallowed. He wasn’t about to just _tell_ Chris that it had been a kiss that had made Viktor turn back; he hadn’t even told Viktor! He lowered his gaze. Shrugged. “When he changed back I realized he couldn’t breathe underwater. So I brought him to shore, and then…” he lifted his gaze to Viktor’s, hoping he would fill in the blanks from all the time that passed before he came back to the beach.

But it was Chris who spoke next. “I got word of Viktor resurfacing.” He paused for a moment, seemingly amused at his own joke before he continued. “Really, the news was everywhere. It’s not every day someone claims they are the missing prince Viktor Nikiforov from one hundred years ago. I knew he’d probably get arrested if he tried to return to the castle he used to live in, so I had to intervene, explain things to him as best I could, and get him reacquainted with the times. Life has drastically changed in the last century, you know. I had to keep us both off the radar for a bit, but then he started to sneak off and I got curious. That brings us to today.”

Yuuri flicked his tail mindlessly, taking it all in. There were still some parts he wasn’t entirely sure he understood, but he didn’t know if it was because of the language or because both of them seemed to have some parts of the story still missing themselves. “So…” He eyed Chris warily. “You cursed Viktor to stone and then forgot about it?”

Chris smiled sheepishly. “I suppose that’s the gist of it.”

“I would have looked for you forever,” Yuuri said to Viktor. “I don’t care if my reputation would be at risk. I wouldn’t stop until I found you.”

“Hmm. I can see the appeal,” Chris said to Viktor, and Yuuri couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with them talking about him when he was right there. He wished Vicchan was there still to cause a distraction, or lighten the mood, or _something_.

But Viktor didn’t respond to Chris. Instead, he lowered himself off the rock and into the water, and Yuuri’s breath caught. Viktor _knew_ about Yuuri’s tail, and by getting into the water, he was in Yuuri’s domain now. 

“Yuuri,” he said softly, as if it was only for the both of them to hear. “How have I gone so long without knowing you?”

_But you do know me,_ Yuuri wanted to say. _I’ve told you things I’ve never told anyone else._ The words didn’t leave his mouth. He doubted he could articulate them the way he heard in his head anyway. Instead, he smiled and shifted backwards, forcing Viktor to move closer if he wanted to stay within arms length of Yuuri.

And to Yuuri’s delight, Viktor _did_. 

Chris spoke before anyone else did: “Viktor, your return has certainly brought about quite some interesting new developments. I’ve never been this close to a merperson before. I have to say I’ve had more fun recently than I’ve had in quite a long time.”

Viktor turned, and Yuuri resisted the urge to reach out and recapture his attention. “It’s lucky that Yuuri found me,” he said.

Chris shifted his gaze upward toward the sky and curled up on of the corners of his beach towel. “It’s starting to get a little lighter,” he said. “Viktor, you’re always back by morning.”

“It’s because the humans come out when the sun does,” Yuuri told him. “To swim and play in the water.”

Chris shrugged. “Does that mean you have to go?” he asked. “Because it’s daytime, and Viktor is a human?”

Yuuri knew he had a point. He didn’t want to leave, he wanted to stay and talk to Viktor and try and figure out all the jumbled emotions he felt every time he looked at him. 

Viktor reached out his hand, and Yuuri hesitated at first but he was still elated that they were both in the water that Viktor was looking so hopeful and Yuuri couldn’t help but reach out and press his hand to Viktor’s in return.

“Will you come back tomorrow?” Yuuri asked. 

Viktor tilted his head. “If I can,” he promised. “I can’t seem to stay away from here.”

Chris whistled behind them for Makkachin, but Viktor remained in the water with Yuuri’s hand on his until Yuuri pulled away. 

“I have a friend,” Yuuri said quietly. “Her name is Yuuko. She’s really good at English, and she’s… well, she’s the one that told me about your castle. She’d love to meet you. I haven’t quite decided how I’m going to explain you yet, but…” he trailed off.

“And she’s not a stingray?” Viktor asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Yuuri smiled. “Not a stingray.”

And then he was watching Viktor climb out of the water; taking the towel Chris offered him and wrapping it around himself. He knelt down to Yuuri. “That might be fun,” he told him. 

There was more Yuuri had wanted to say. He’d wanted to run everything that Viktor had said back over again. He wanted to sit with Viktor up on the rocks or swim with him in the water until dawn, but Viktor was leaving with Chris and Yuuri never managed to get his words out until they were well out of earshot. 


	13. How To Say

“Yuuko,” Yuuri took a deep breath, his hands clenched into fists as his sides. “Yuuko, I met someone. Do you remember that travel guide you showed me? Under those rocks? Well he’s real! He’s…” He groaned. “No, I can’t say that. It’ll sound ridiculous.” With a heavy sigh, he drifted down to the bottom of the cave, resting his chin in his hands. “How am I supposed to put this?”

Yuuko wasn’t there, of course. In the cave. Nobody was. Not even Yuuri’s statue man, which would have made things a lot easier, he thought. Having Viktor there to listen to him, gaze upon him with the expression Yuuri had come to memorize, would have helped Yuuri figure out just what he could say to broach the subject with Yuuko. But then again—he wouldn’t be having this conversation if Viktor was still down here. The whole point was that he very much _wasn’t_. He was up on land, doing human things and playing with his dog and walking with real legs to places Yuuri couldn’t reach.

There were still so many things Yuuri wanted to ask him, and maybe Yuuko might be able to help with that. There were questions Yuuri wasn’t even sure how to begin to ask, things he wanted to say to Viktor without the risk of having it come across all wrong. And he felt it was only right, what with Yuuko having been the one to tell him Viktor’s name in the first place and talk about the castle. 

“Yuuko,” Yuuri started again. “Do you remember the prince in the travel guide you showed me? Well, I…” he sighed. “I kissed him and then he turned out to be human. Can’t say that either.” He hadn’t initially planned to tell anyone at all, but he was gone for several hours almost every night now, and he owed at least some kind of an explanation to _someone_.

Yuuri reached out and picked up the sunglasses, twirling them absentmindedly around in his hands as he ran through faux conversations in his head. And then what if he got Yuuko up there and she didn’t like Viktor? What if she was mad that he’d told a human about mermaids? That he’d shown Viktor his tail? It wasn’t like her, but it was possible. 

Frowning, Yuuri placed the sunglasses back in their spot. “I’ll just… tell her,” he said softly, “That Viktor’s someone I don’t want to let go of. He means a lot to me. She’ll understand. Right?”

He glanced toward where Viktor’s statue had been, but of course now he was only met with the empty space of where it _used_ to be. It was bittersweet, really. His statue man had been down here, present with Yuuri at all times. In his world. But up there… land was somewhere Yuuri couldn’t go. And he _missed_ Viktor being down here with him, even though he would never wish him back to stone again. 

Yuuri glanced around the cave once more and fiddled around with the various objects he still had left. Most of the smaller things he’d given to Viktor, and he hoped that maybe he had kept them, put them somewhere where he could look at them and think of Yuuri. 

But Yuuri didn't have time to sit and ponder all of that. He had to talk to Yuuko, and ask her if she was interested in meeting Viktor. She’d probably say yes—at least he hoped she would—but he couldn’t be sure. And he still was hoping that the words would come to him in the moment, since he couldn’t seem to settle on any definitive way to go about it.

By the time Yuuri got back to the reef, his mother was nearly finished with dinner. He hadn’t realized how long he’d been in the cave, lost in his own thoughts. Mari was home too, fiddling with something that Yuuri didn’t recognize. She looked up as he announced himself, eyes narrowing as if she was studying him. 

Yuuri paused. “Wh- _What?_ ” he asked. 

She sighed and pushed herself up off the rock she was sitting on, swimming over to Yuuri. “There’s something wrong,” she said. “What is it?”

Yuuri started to shake his head, but Mari raised an eyebrow and crooked a finger for him to follow. “Yuuri, you’re my brother. I can tell when something’s on your mind, okay? Let’s go somewhere quiet and we can talk about it.”

Yuuri deflated. She was right. And he also knew that when she set her jaw like that and put her hand on her hip, there was no use arguing with her. “Okay,” he sighed. 

Mari gestured for him to follow, settling them both on some rocks just outside the entrance to the reef. She propped her chin on her hands. “Okay," she echoed. "Spill it.”

Yuuri grimaced. “I—“ he started. Dropped his gaze. “It’s about… well, I want Yuuko to meet someone,” he started. “ But I don’t know how to tell her. I don’t even know how to tell _you_. This person is… someone I know. A human.”

Mari quirked an eyebrow. “A human?” she asked, pursing her lips. “On land?”

“Of course on land,” Yuuri replied. “Where else?”

“I don’t know. Could’ve been in the water,” Mari shrugged. “Like that one riding the waves that one time. That had you worried for _weeks_.” She eyed him suspiciously. “It… isn’t that same human, is it?”

“No, no. Not him.” Yuuri was glad to be able to put that worry to rest, at the very least.

“So this human. You’ve spoken, then?”

Yuuri hummed in agreement. “I… we’ve sort of known each other a while. And since Yuuko was the one to show me around the beach and stuff, I felt… it was only fair…” he shrugged. “But I don’t know how to go about asking her.”

Mari seemed to consider this for a moment. “Well,” she started. “I think maybe you should just tell her like you’ve told me. I’m sure she’d be thrilled to meet this human of yours, Yuuri. As long as this means I’m going to get to meet them someday too. Can I get a name at least?”

“Viktor,” Yuuri breathed. He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of saying his name. 

Mari nodded. “Well, then. I’d really love to meet this Viktor.”

Yuuri glanced down at his hands. “I… can probably arrange that. Might want to give it a little while though, keep him from meeting so many merpeople at once.”

“Yeah, what’s with that? We’re supposed to stay out of the human eye, you know.” She was smirking, but Yuuri must have looked concerned because she huffed and reached out to lightly push his shoulder. “Just giving you a hard time,” she said, offering him a smile. “If this human means something to you, it’s worth meeting him. And he doesn’t even have to see our tails. We can just keep them underwater.”

“Yeah.” It was refreshing, hearing her talk so rationally about it. “I guess you’re right. And the thing about Viktor, he… he is human, but there’s something else. Something that’s hard to explain. He’s kind of… not exactly part of the human world the same way he used to be, if that makes sense.”

“Not really,” Mari replied. “But I trust you. If you trust him, I’m sure it’s okay.”

Yuuri nodded. “Thank you, Mari.”

Mari glanced over his shoulder toward the reef. “Dinner’s probably ready by now,” she said. “We should go.”

She led them back, and Yuuri managed to finish his dinner quickly so he could go off and find Yuuko before it got too late. She was with Nishigori when he found her, but she agreed to a moment alone when Yuuri explained it was something he wanted to talk to just her about. 

“What is it?” Yuuko asked, concern working its way into her features until Yuuri dispelled it with a quick ‘don’t worry’.

“Yuuko—remember the travel guide you showed me?” Yuuri asked, taking a deep breath. “With the page about the prince and the castle?”

“Yes?” Yuuko answered, voice hesitant. “What about it?”

Yuuri started to say something. Closed his mouth. Opened it again. “Yuuko. Would you come up to the surface with me? There’s someone I’d really like you to meet. But he’s human. Sort of. Well, _yes_ he’s human but… I think it’s just something you’ll need to see.”

“You met someone!” Yuuko exclaimed. “Oh Yuuri, wow! You met a human? Are you…?” she crossed her fingers. “Together?”

“No, it’s not like that,” Yuuri said, even as his mind told him that maybe yes, it _was_ actually like that. “I know I shouldn’t be talking to humans, but it’ll be okay, I promise.” He pointed upward. “He knows English too, and I think he wouldn’t mind practicing with you. And maybe you could help me ask a few questions, and…” 

“English?” Yuuko asked, unable to keep the hint of excitement out of her voice. “That does sound really cool…”

“Right,” said Yuuri. “I would really like you to come with me.”

Yuuko nodded. “Okay.” He could hear just the slightest bit of uncertainty in her voice, but she smiled brightly when he flipped his tail excitedly and followed him upward.

At first glance, Yuuri had the sinking feeling that Viktor wasn’t there. He couldn't see him or Makkachin, but just when Yuuko opened her mouth to say something, the dog came bounding down the beach, followed by her owner.

“ _There_ ,” Yuuri breathed. He pointed.

Yuuko’s jaw dropped. “Yuuri, that’s—“ she started. “But it can’t be. That’s impossible!” 

Yuuri smiled. He reached out to wave and then brought her over toward the inlet. “It really is him. It’s Viktor. I think… I think maybe you should meet him.”

“But… _how_ ?” Yuuko stammered. “There’s no way… Yuuri, humans can’t live that long!”

“I know,” Yuuri replied. “But he can explain that better than I can. And then maybe you can help me translate some stuff. Shall we go?”

Yuuko grinned, still in awe as Viktor caught sight of Yuuri and waved excitedly back to them. “ _Please_.” 


	14. A Friendly Face

There were days when either Viktor or Yuuri weren’t able to visit for one reason or another, and Yuuri understood that. But it was significantly more worrisome having Viktor sit on the rocks with tears in his eyes and tell Yuuri that he might be gone for _days_. Viktor couldn’t say when he’d be back, just that he would be. The worst of it was that he wouldn’t really explain what was wrong, even though Yuuri could hear the catch in Viktor’s voice when he spoke.

He wished he could kiss the tears away and be there for Viktor the same way he was always here at the inlet for Yuuri. Chris had been speaking to Viktor in hushed tones, and in a language that wasn’t one Yuuri had heard from Viktor before. 

“It's really nothing to worry about,” Viktor had said. “She’ll be okay, they all say so. But I still need to be there.” Yet he seemed so far away even as he tried to reassure Yuuri (or himself, Yuuri wasn’t sure) that things would be fine, and when Yuuri reached out for Viktor’s hand, his grip wasn’t nearly as warm or firm as Yuuri was used to. Viktor said Chris might stop by and catch up with Yuuri until Viktor could get back, but Yuuri just wanted Viktor to do whatever he needed to feel better. As much as he wanted to see Viktor, their meetings could wait. 

Still, hearing that Chris might stop by kept Yuuri coming back every couple of days to check for any sign of a return. And then when he didn’t turn up by night, Yuuri decided to try during the day.

As he approached the inlet, Yuuri heard a voice that was distinctly unlike anyone he’d heard—and definitely not Viktor—scream, “Look out!” 

Yuuri gasped. Ducked under. A loud splash echoed from above him, and something that looked like a floating beach ball landed right where his head had been. From a second glance, Yuuri realized that’s exactly what it was—he’d seen quite a few humans carrying them around or tossing them to each other on the beach. He heard muffled shouting from above the water and he moved just to the right of the ball, peeking back up out of the waves.

“Hey! Are you okay? Not that it’s heavy, it’s just that I doubt you were expecting it.” 

Yuuri glanced over to the speaker. Another stranger, although he guessed he shouldn’t be surprised. It was daytime, after all. What had he been _thinking_ coming during the day?

Yuuri grimaced. “I—ah, well,” he stammered.

“I thought as much.” The stranger brushed his hair back and grinned. “You’re a foreigner, aren’t you? I can tell; it’s the English.” He winked, “But I’m not from here either. My name’s Phichit, I’m here working on a project I’ve been putting together… kind of a photography journal, of sorts? I want it to reflect every one of the places I’ve been. And since I got the opportunity to come here, I had to take it!”

Yuuri narrowed his eyes, studying the human before him. He drifted forward to grab hold of the rocks in case he needed to hide behind them, but mostly he was intrigued. The human was standing on the edge of the beach, a camera in one hand and waving with the other. His hair was the same color as Yuuri’s, although shorter, and he seemed much more enthusiastic about seeing Yuuri than he was comfortable with. It was strange, certainly.

“Hello. Yuuri,” Yuuri finally managed, after getting over his initial surprise. “That’s my name.”

“Yuuri,” Phichit repeated. “Well, Yuuri, would you mind tossing my beach ball back to me? I didn’t mean for it to land in the water.” He laughed, rubbing his neck.

Yuuri glanced over at the ball still floating in the water, and he cautiously prodded at it to judge its weight. It was lighter than he expected, and he lifted it up and tossed it back to Phichit.

Phichit caught it, and turned to call something back to someone that Yuuri couldn’t see from his position in the water. He set the ball beside him and sat down on the rocks. “I didn’t even see you in there. You sure came up out of nowhere!”

Yuuri laughed uneasily, trying not to make his tail too obvious as he held himself above water. “Sorry, yeah. I was swimming,” he said.

Phichit nodded. “I figured. Bad timing on my part. Some friends and I are playing volleyball, but we forgot the volleyball back at the hotel, so we improvised and used an inflatable beach ball instead.”

“Right,” Yuuri said. He tried to glance over Phichit’s shoulder to see if one of the friends he was talking about was either Viktor or Chris, but he couldn’t tell. 

“It’s a lot harder to control than a volleyball though, especially when the wind picks up and just carries it away.” Phichit leaned back. “Still fun though.”

Yuuri turned his attention back to Phichit. He wasn’t Chris or Viktor, but he seemed friendly enough. And he was _interested_ to hear more about this human. He swam a little closer. “So what kinds of things do you photograph?” he asked. 

Phichit tilted his head in thought. “Everything, really! But my favorite subjects are people. There’s so much you can say just with one picture. But I also like pictures of places, food, shops, anything with people, really. Or without.”

Yuuri nodded. “And how long are you here for?” he asked. 

“Hm, just a couple weeks. I’m on break, but then I have to get back to focus on my studies,” Phichit said. “What about you?”

“I…” Yuuri glanced at the water, over to the rocks, back at the water. “I swim!” he answered, a little too loudly. “For a living. And… also history!”

Phichit grinned. “That’s kind of an odd combination,” he said. “Swimming and history, huh? Do you swim outside of college?”

“Yeah,” Yuuri said, although the words came out hesitantly, and he was sure Phichit was probably catching on that he was making it all up. “I mean, yes. And then history is… when I’m not swimming.”

“Got it,” Phichit kicked his legs in the water mindlessly. “So what brings you here?”

“ _Swimming_ ,” Yuuri replied emphatically. He cringed; he’d need to explain himself more than that. But Phichit surprised him by nodding, as if that was a completely reasonable answer. 

“I see,” he replied, smiling. “Practice? Competition?”

Yuuri offered him a smile back. “Something like that.”

One of his friends called to Phichit again and he turned back and said something in return. He glanced at Yuuri. “Sorry, I have to get back. We’re still in the middle of our game, you see. Do you want to play with us? We could use one more on my side.”

Yuuri’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “I can’t!” He exclaimed. “On the beach, right? I… Yeah, I can’t. I have to practice over here,” he paused, and then to fill the silence, added, “swimming.”

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Phichit stood up, but he was still smiling so Yuuri didn’t think he was too upset. “Hey, would you mind if I got a picture with you at least? I can add it to my collection. Since we’re fellow tourists here, and also because I want to get at least one picture with all of my friends.”

Yuuri bit his lip, and then he said yes, surprising even himself with how readily he agreed to it.

Phichit beamed. “Great!” He knelt back down and Yuuri swam cautiously over. When he was close enough, Phichit flipped the camera around and angled it up so it would supposedly get both Yuuri and himself. “Say cheese!”

“What?” Yuuri asked. The camera clicked.

Phichit laughed and turned the camera back to look at it. “Ah! It looks good! We’re so cute, do you want to see?” He held it out to Yuuri.

Yuuri leaned it, awestruck. It was, indeed, him and Phichit. Yuuri had his mouth open just a bit, probably from the end of his question, and he was relieved to see that with the angle the picture had been taken, his tail wasn't visible. Phichit was grinning, holding two fingers up for the camera. Yuuri smiled. “It does look good. Thanks, Phichit.”

“Sure! Okay, well I hope I get the chance to see you again before I leave! I’ll give you my phone number, um…” he grabbed a stick, starting to write some numbers in the sand before Yuuri reached out a hand to stop him. 

“I can’t. I don’t have one,” Yuuri replied, sheepishly.

Phichit paused, looking up. “Oh! I’m sorry, I just assumed. Well, that’s okay! I’ll drop by again. We can talk some more, one-on-one. I’ll figure something out in the meantime to communicate. So we don’t lose touch!”

Yuuri nodded. He liked Phichit, he really did hope they’d run into each other again. And then Phichit was leaving, and Yuuri decided he’d better get on back home himself before Phichit had the chance to turn around and potentially catch a glimpse of Yuuri’s diving underwater. He’d check back again for Viktor shortly, but he was excited to know that he had another friend here, one that liked him even without knowing about the tail. 


	15. Exchange of Information

Yuuri drummed his fingers on the rocks. “And you’re sure everything is okay?” he asked.

Chris made a face, as if he was tired of answering this same question for the umpteenth time. “Of _course_ ,” he replied. “Even Viktor told you it wasn’t anything to be worried about. His dog just got into something she shouldn’t have. But that’s why I’m here to update you. Viktor will be back as soon as he can.”

Yuuri nodded, sighing. “I just wish…”

”That you had legs?” Chris supplied. 

Yuuri scrunched up his nose and shook his head. “ _What? No_ , not really,” he answered, still trying to settle on the right words. “Just that I could be with him. Or be there for him, or anything. I don’t want him to be upset. And I don’t want him to come hurrying back if Makkachin isn’t feeling well.”

“I’m sure he knows,” Chris said, eyes trained on the shadow of Yuuri’s tail underwater. Yuuri couldn’t help be wary of that; Chris seemed to be captivated by it whenever he was around. 

Yuuri tread quietly in the water, not exactly sure what to even say to Chris now that Viktor wasn’t there. They weren’t exactly friends—not yet at least. Just two individuals who both worried about Viktor more than they probably should. 

“So Yuuri,” Chris drawled, breaking the silence. “How exactly does that tail of yours work?”

There it was. Yuuri had been expecting him to ask eventually, but he still felt the slightest bit uncomfortable now that Chris was talking about his tail outright. “I don’t know,” said Yuuri shortly, “How do your legs work?”

Chris chuckled, and Yuuri hesitantly lifted his tail up out of the water. “Sorry, I didn’t… mean to snap. It’s just not something I think about that often. I don’t think I can answer it.”

Chris pursed his lips. “I can’t say I’m not disappointed,” he admitted. “But here, how about this: You can ask me anything you want about immortality, Viktor, you name it. And then you tell me a few things about merpeople. It can be anything you want.”

Yuuri mulled it over for a moment. But he was intrigued, and he had full control over how much he told Chris. “Okay,” he agreed. “So I guess what I want to know is where were you before all of this happened? How long are you planning on staying? Is… is Viktor in any trouble being here with the whole thing about the castle and the prince? Will he have to leave? And don’t tell me that I can just ask him myself. I’ve thought about it and I don’t want him to stay around just for me. If he’s safer elsewhere, I… I need to know.”

“That’s more than one question,” Chris pointed out. “But okay, sure. I’ll humor you.” He rested his chin on his hand. “First off, he’s not in any trouble. At least anymore. I had to step in, but it should be all cleared up now as long as he keeps himself off the radar for a little. I had to do a little explaining, between him and the new prince, but it shouldn’t be an issue now.”

“What happened?” Yuuri asked. 

“Well he nearly got himself into quite a mess. He wanted to march back into the castle and announce himself, but of course there’s multiple reasons why I couldn’t let him follow through with that idea. There’s no way Viktor Nikiforov could come back after missing for that long and look the way he did. Actually though I wasn’t even in Russia at the time, but when I caught wind of the news about someone claiming he was a prince, I had to… come back. It wasn’t as though it was putting me out too much, I have all the time in the world to go anywhere I want, and Viktor… he’s been the closest friend I’ve had for…” he shrugged. “As for your other question, no. He shouldn’t have to leave because of that. I just came up with some story about distant relatives and such, cleared the whole thing up with a few smooth words and a little magic.”

Yuuri let this sink in. “But he doesn’t have the castle anymore?”

“No,” Chris answered. “That belongs to Yuri Plisetsky. Viktor doesn’t own anything other than his dog and what he’s gotten since changing back. I set him up with a little apartment and such, but he’s going to have to do _something_ eventually, besides sneak off and talk to handsome mermen in the middle of the night. Which, by the way, I’m still surprised he managed to do as long as he did without my noticing.”

“I see,” Yuuri murmured. “But what he does now… that’s up to him?”

Chris nodded. “Afraid so.”

Yuuri leaned up against his favorite rock, his hand finding the travel guide tucked underneath and curling the cover between his fingers. So he guessed for now, Viktor would stick around. But what if he couldn’t find something to do? What if he decided it would be easier to go back to wherever Chris came from for a while?

“I believe it’s my turn to ask the questions now,” Chris said, drawing Yuuri out of his thoughts. 

“Oh. Right.”

Chris propped himself up with his elbows, leaning forward to dip his fingers in the water. “So, tell me about yourself. Where do you live? Why do I only see you? I knew your kind _existed_ but I’ve seen you more than I’ve seen any others.”

“We’re… supposed to steer clear of humans,” Yuuri admitted. “I have a family that lives down in a reef we call Yuutopia, it’s… well, I don’t really know how to describe it.” Yuuri bit his lip. “It’s home. And about why you haven’t seen us, most of the time we can stay far enough away and pick a time of night when people aren’t really around. I come up here the most often because it’s a whole world up here, and it interests me. I have a friend who likes land too—Yuuko. But she doesn’t come up nearly as much as I do. It’s because of Viktor, really, I… he really… he’s the first person that I…” how could he even begin to explain what Viktor meant to him? He wanted him by his side, he wanted to learn everything about him, have conversations about everything and nothing, for as long as Viktor was willing.

Chris laughed. “I have to admit, I’m rather jealous. I’ve been around for this long and still Viktor wants to spend all his attention on you. It’s quite lonely being immortal, you know. But I take what I can get.

“How much does he remember?” Yuuri asked. “Does he talk about being a statue?”

“He doesn't recall most of it,” Chris replied. “But I can’t speak to whether or not he was even awake when he was a statue down in the ocean. I can’t remember the spell I used; only that it had the best of intentions. It was unfortunate that he was gone for so long. Well— fortunate for you, I suppose. Because you got to meet him.”

Chris seemed like he might have wanted to get in the water then, but when he caught a glimpse of Vicchan’s wing he seemed to decide against it. Yuuri was relieved about that; he didn’t really want Chris gawking at his tail even more than he already was. 

“Yeah…” Yuuri agreed. “I just hope he and Makkachin get back soon. You can go to him, talk with him when he’s away, but I just have to wait.”

“Indeed.” Chris stood, brushing the sand off of himself. “Speaking of, I should probably go. Don’t worry though, I’m sure Viktor will be back as cheerful as ever before you know it.”

Yuuri smiled, but his heart wasn’t in it. “Chris?” he asked. 

Chris paused, turning to glance at Yuuri over his shoulder. “Hm?”

“Would you tell Viktor to please take care of himself? I can wait,” Yuuri replied. “For as long as he needs. I just want him to feel better.”

Chris quirked a smile. “I most certainly can.”


	16. Reunions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for all the continued support and comments! I am eternally grateful.

Getting back up to the surface the next couple of days was harder than Yuuri had been expecting. He’d meant to go check for Viktor the day after talking to Chris, but Minako had asked him to watch her underwater routine and give her some pointers, and Mari needed him to help with a dinner their mother was preparing for quite a few friends down at the reef. 

So he’d done all of those things, leaving him itching to finally get back up to the surface. It wasn’t as though Viktor wouldn’t understand, but the thought of him coming to the beach intending to see Yuuri only for him not to show had Yuuri a little on edge. 

It was with much relief that he finally got a break long enough to visit the beach again. Vicchan even joined him this time, which Yuuri was grateful of, especially since Vicchan hadn’t come with him the last few times Yuuri had gone. He’d been slowly starting to worry that perhaps Vicchan had gotten bored of accompanying him to the surface and taken an interest in better things elsewhere. 

When Yuuri arrived at the beach, it was early evening, not dark enough to be completely safe, but he figured it would be fine this time as long as he didn’t make a habit of it. And Vicchan’s presence as a shadow beside him only further comforted him as he made his way toward shore. There was a group of humans settled around a fire farther up on the beach, and at first Yuuri started to hide, but one of them stood and Yuuri watched them with interest as the humans huddled around each other and one of them shouted, “Cheese!”

It was a voice Yuuri recognized. He raised an arm. “Phichit!”

The group returned to sitting around the fire and Phichit—it _was_ Phichit, much to Yuuri’s relief—waved back and called back to Yuuri. He must have excused himself from the group because he came running over into the shallow waves.

“Yuuri~ It’s really you? Long time no see! I thought maybe you’d gone home already!”

Vicchan started to swim away, but Yuuri reached out to scoop him closer. “No, not really. I was off visiting family, but I’m back now. I missed the beach.”

Phichit nodded, thoughtful. “Yeah, of course! The beach is great here. How’s the water out there?” He reached down to dip his fingers into the water he was standing in, wading a little deeper as he did so. 

Yuuri swam a few paces backward. Not enough for Phichit to notice, but enough to maintain the distance he’d created. “It’s fine out here, but it would be easier for me if you stayed on shore. I’ve got to practice… something. A new technique. For swimming. It would just be easier if I was the only one this far out.”

“Sure, sure,” Phichit replied. “I bet it’s tiring swimming all the time. Do you want to join me and my friends up there? We’ve got a bonfire going and some towels set up around it, we plan to keep it going for most of the night. It’s nearing the end of my trip, so we kind of want to end it on one final _bam!_ you know?”

Yuuri smiled. Nodded. “But I really shouldn’t impose,” he said, eyes falling to look at his hands wading in the water.

“No imposing! I’m inviting you!” Phichit insisted. He flashed his own smile back. “But I understand if you don’t want to. It gets kind of crazy with the group of us, and you’ve got to focus on your cool flips and stuff.”

“Building up stamina,” Yuuri added. “Yeah. It’s exhausting, but it’s worth it.”

“That’s how it is with my photography.” Phichit lifted his camera for emphasis. “Not exhausting, per say, but it can be frustrating and there’s a lot of patience and timing and lighting and all that fun stuff that goes into it. But the payoff is all worth it.” He started to say something else, but paused. His eyes widened. “Um, Yuuri?”

“Yes?” Yuuri wasn’t a fool, he could pick up on the shift in Phichit’s tone. Had he seen his tail? Yuuri stilled, and Vicchan brushed up against his arm, the smoothness of his wing startling him. _Vicchan_. He’d nearly forgotten.

As if on cue, Phichit continued. “Yuuri, I-Is that a stingray? I mean, don’t panic, but—!”

Yuuri laughed. It was a little too loud and just the slightest bit hysterical sounding, but he was just relieved that it was Vicchan that Phichit had noticed and not that he was a merman. “It is a stingray, but he’s harmless, I promise. I mean, they’re not _all_ harmless, but this one is. I come out here a lot, as you’ve seen. And then one day he just… showed up. And we’ve gotten used to each other, sort of a mutual understanding. I’m in no danger with this one.”

Phichit visibly relaxed, but still took a few cautious steps backwards out of the water. “So… he’s like a pet?”

Yuuri opened his mouth to clarify that calling Vicchan a pet wasn’t quite right either, but it was no use. Phichit had already latched onto the idea of pets and was now excitedly telling Yuuri that he had three adorable little hamsters at home and oh, one day Yuuri _had_ to visit so he could meet them and they weren’t as impressive as a stingray but they were very cute and fluffy and he loved them just the same, and oh, Yuuri, are you still listening?

“I’m listening,” Yuuri assured him as he reached out to pet Vicchan. “Maybe someday, Phichit. Thank you for the offer. They sound cute.”

“They are!” Phichit beamed. He probably would have said more then if he hadn’t gotten distracted by the noise from back at the bonfire. Phichit turned to look over his shoulder, and let out an excited shout as something barreled into him.

_Makkachin?_

Yuuri would recognize her anywhere. And she clearly recognized Yuuri too because after jumping up to greet Phichit, she realized Yuuri was there and started racing out into the water.

“Makkachin, wait!” 

Yuuri’s eyes widened. He should have known that Makkachin wouldn’t have come out here without her owner, but that didn’t stop the gentle flutter he felt when he heard Viktor’s voice. 

It had been so _long_.

Makkachin did as she was told, tail wagging as she sat and waited for Viktor to catch up. And catch up he did. 

Phichit stepped out of the way. “Oh, you!” His eyes widened. “You’re Viktor, the one that all that commotion was about. With the prince,” he gestured to the castle, visible as it glowed brightly from the lights surrounding it.

Viktor rubbed his neck. “That’s right,” he said. “Distant relatives, and all that. It got squared off though; No more trouble with it.”

“Wow, yeah,” Phichit seemed awestruck. “Same name and everything. It sounded crazy. I heard it on the news, back before I got here.”

“Yes, but they exaggerated,” Viktor replied, brushing it off. “It was a simple misunderstanding. But I’m honored you recognized me.”

“Of course!” Phichit laughed. “But you two seem to know each other, right? Should I let you be?”

Yuuri nodded, but then realizing that Phichit probably couldn’t see that clearly all the way out where he was, added a ‘yes’. “But it’s been great talking to you, Phichit. I just haven’t seen Viktor in a long time, so…”

“Got it! You know Yuuri, I still haven’t come up with a way to keep in touch with you. We got lucky running into each other again tonight, but without a phone…”

“I have one,” Viktor chimed in. “I have constant contact with Yuuri, so if you wanted to give me the number I can keep it for him.”

“Would you?” Phichit sounded elated. He whipped out his phone and handed it to Viktor. “So are you guys together or something then?”

Viktor started to say something but Yuuri answered first: “We… We’ve just been seeing each other. It’s not…”

“So that’s a yes. Got it!” Phichit thanked Viktor and turned back to his other friends. “If you change your mind, Yuuri, the offer still stands. You can join us up there. And you too, Viktor. Both of you.”

Viktor bent down to pet Makkachin. “I appreciate the invitation,” he said, slowly. “But if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to catch up with Yuuri a bit.”

Phichit nodded, waved, and excused himself. 

Yuuri stared at Viktor. Viktor glanced up from Makkachin and met Yuuri’s gaze. “Race you to the inlet?”

Yuuri didn’t register what Viktor had even said until he was already running, Makkachin on his heels as he zipped around the corner. Yuuri smiled softly to himself. No way was he about to let someone with _legs_ get to the inlet faster than him. He jumped up and back under the water, swimming as quickly as he could around the corner to the inlet. 

When he surfaced, Viktor was running straight for him, and then he was jumping up over the rocks and into the water. There was a resounding splash, and Viktor threw his arms around Yuuri, pulling him impossibly close, as if he wanted to hold Yuuri to him and never let go. 

The feeling was mutual, thought Yuuri. 

“I missed you,” Viktor whispered, his breath hot on Yuuri’s neck. “You don’t know how much I wished you could be there.”

“How’s Makkachin?” Yuuri asked. 

“She’s fine,” Viktor said. “I just don’t want her coming in the water with Vicchan. They might spook each other.”

Yuuri nodded. “She looks better.”

“She _is_ ,” Viktor replied. “And so am I. I was so worried about her, but everything’s okay now.”

Yuuri inhaled, wishing he could keep Viktor here and hold him like this forever. His tail flicked in the water, and at one point he accidentally bumped it against Viktor’s legs, serving as a harsh reminder that Viktor would have to get back out of the water eventually. But he would deal with that later.

For now, they were here. 


	17. For You

“Are you sure it’s safe?” Yuuri asked, turning the mask and connecting tube over in his hands. _snorkel_ , a strange name for a strange contraption. Yuuri was still a bit skeptical and wary of Viktor going underwater for more than a couple of moments at a time. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Viktor, he just couldn’t shake the memory of having to race him up to the surface, of him nearly drowning. Yuuri hadn’t been sure how to save him then, and he hadn’t exactly learned since. It had been purely luck that the prince Yuri had been out looking for Yuuri on his way to go _surfing_ or whatever else he’d had planned the day Yuuri had left Viktor on the beach.

He couldn’t just forget that fear, even if Viktor had.

Viktor reached out, placing his hands over Yuuri’s and the mask. “I’m positive,” he said. “Chris told me all about it, how to use them safely, everything. I’ve even practiced.”

It was impressive, Yuuri had to admit. And it was clear that this was something Viktor was really excited about, from the way his eyes lit up and how he didn’t move his hands away until Yuuri sighed and relented. Which he did more readily than he would have liked.

“But I’m still going to keep an eye on you,” Yuuri told him. 

Viktor nodded. “And I’ve got fins, too! Not as graceful as your tail, but it’ll help me move through the water more steadily.” He lifted one finned foot, and Yuuri smiled and nodded while Viktor set about slipping the mask over his head and situating it.

“How do I look?” Viktor asked.

“Ridiculous,” Yuuri replied, honestly. “But in a good way! I’m… looking forward to trying this out, even if I still think it’s dangerous.”

“It isn’t!” Viktor insisted. “Not with you here, at least.”

He had a point. Yuuri wasn’t about to let anything happen to Viktor, snorkel or not. “Don’t go too far under the water,” Yuuri said anyway. “And keep an eye on where Vicchan is. And pay attention to breathing.”

Viktor smiled. “I know, Yuuri.” He fit the mouthpiece in and gestured for Yuuri to go under. There was more Yuuri wanted to tell him, more he wanted Viktor to be aware of, but Viktor had already gone underwater, and Yuuri supposed he should too.

Seeing Viktor underwater—and _not_ drowning—was like some kind of dream. They couldn’t talk with the snorkel in his mouth, but Viktor’s expression was saying it all. He was floating just under the surface, eyes wide with wonder as he scanned the part of the inlet he’d never seen before. 

And he was seeing it now, seeing Yuuri swim closer and gently shoo Vicchan out of the way and then directing Viktor to look at the coral, the algae, the fish, all the things Viktor couldn’t see from sitting on the rocks on land or on the beach.

Yuuri pointed out several of the rocks that he was partial to, and Viktor brushed them lightly, as if he was trying to memorize the texture of each of the individual surfaces.

He understood Viktor’s awe; he felt it himself every time he learned something new about the human world, and it was thrilling to know that Viktor was as taken with Yuuri’s world as Yuuri was with land.

He guided Viktor around the inlet, pointing things out this way and that, and grinning every time Viktor paused to take it all in. Yuuri wished he could talk to him too and hear what he was thinking about, but he’d have to wait until Viktor got back above water and taken the snorkel off. Unfortunate. 

For now, he just had to make do with watching Viktor and trying to read his body language as best as he could. And of course, he also kept an eye on him for any signs of discomfort or in case the snorkel didn’t work how Viktor thought it would. 

Yuuri found himself loosening up the more he watched Viktor swim around, finding it easier to enjoy himself and that they were _actually swimming underwater together_ when Vicchan swam up higher to get a look at Viktor’s fins.

Yuuri reached out to brush him away but Viktor got to him first. He shot Yuuri a very pointed glance and then reached out to gently run his fingers over Vicchan’s back.

It was dangerous. Yuuri _knew_ it was dangerous. Having Vicchan around when he was by himself was one thing, the stingray had practically grown up with Yuuri. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t a wild animal. Miraculously though, Vicchan didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he fluttered his wings and moved closer, brushing up against Viktor’s arm and butting his head against his hand.

Yuuri could just imagine what Viktor would say if he were above water. He’d grin, and laugh, and say “wow” in that breathless and ecstatic tone of his, and Yuuri would shove down the urge to kiss him by busying himself with talking about something, anything else to distract from how he felt. On second thought, maybe it was a good thing Viktor couldn’t speak underwater. 

He let Viktor pet Vicchan a few moments longer before he intervened, figuring it was best to stop while they were ahead. He directed Vicchan back away from Viktor and reached out for his hand. Yuuri didn’t think he’d ever get used to the feel of Viktor’s fingers curled around his own. He still hadn’t even gotten over that Viktor had come back at all, or wanted to see him even after finding out he was a merperson, or any of it, really. He was thrilled. 

They wove around some more rocks, and Yuuri didn’t let go of Viktor until they had made it out of the inlet and a little distance into the ocean. That was when Viktor tugged gently on Yuuri’s hand and pointed upward. 

Yuuri surfaced. Viktor followed. 

“Yuuri,” said Viktor, removing the mouthpiece. “Yuuri, it’s all even more beautiful underwater.” 

“I can’t believe Vicchan let you pet him,” Yuuri said, not directly responding to Viktor’s comment, but not dismissing it either. “He doesn’t _do_ that. He doesn't like humans.”

“Maybe he thinks that if I’m with you, I can’t be all that bad,” Viktor replied. “Or maybe it’s because I’m not… the same. I’m not from the same time as the people living here. Living now.”

“I don’t know. But I’m glad,” Yuuri said, as Viktor moved forward to close the distance between them. Yuuri had to remind himself how to breathe before he continued, “I’m glad you’re here.”

Viktor smiled. “I’m glad I’m with you,” he said. He glanced back toward shore and then back to Yuuri. “We’ve gone pretty far out.”

“Is… is that a problem?” Yuuri asked. “I didn’t think—”

“No problem,” Viktor assured him, shaking his head. “But let’s go back to shore. There’s something I want to show you.”

This time it was Viktor leading Yuuri back toward the inlet, hoisting himself up on the rocks beside beach once they arrived. 

Viktor reached around the rock for a bag. “Okay,” he said. “I don’t know how much you’ll even care about this. You won’t be able to use it—at least, I don’t think you will. Not underwater. But I was thinking… I’ve kept everything you’ve given me. It’s all sitting on various desks and shelves in my room, and it got me thinking. I wanted to give you something. I know you’ve got enough of our human stuff back in your home, but I wanted to give you something that was from _me_.”

“Viktor.” Yuuri rested his arms on the rock Viktor was sitting on, trying to formulate words that weren’t just an endless stream of ‘you really kept everything I gave you? Everything? Ever? You beautiful human, you didn’t have to.’

Viktor held out his hand. “I wanted to,” he said, as if he could read Yuuri's mind. “Really. And I spoke a little to that guy you were talking to the other day, Phichit? He helped me brainstorm. He’s a lot more versed with the touristy stuff than I am. And well, I thought you might like this.” He reached into the bag, drawing out a mug. 

From the sound of it, Yuuri knew it had to have things inside it as well. He leaned forward to get a better look. 

Viktor seemed to latch onto Yuuri’s interest, because he continued. “It’s a mug with… well, maybe you can’t read it but I can tell you. It says Russia on it here,” he pointed to the word. “And actually, I bought two of them because I thought it was cute. So we have matching mugs! And if you look inside it…” 

Yuuri was paying less attention to the words now and just, truly appreciated everything Viktor had done for him today. He certainly hadn’t needed to, and Yuuri was just so completely in awe. How had he gotten so lucky? 

“…and this is a straw,” Viktor was saying, “and you won’t use that either, but people use it to drink from, and then the last thing I got you is this rock and it’s not special but I picked it up on one of my walks with Makkachin this morning and I thought it was really…”

“It’s perfect.” Yuuri murmured, cutting him off. _You’re perfect_.

Viktor smiled. “Yuuri!” And then he was in the water. He accidentally elbowed the mug on his way so Yuuri had to catch it to keep it from falling and then Viktor was pulling him closer and pressing a quick, gentle kiss to Yuuri’s forehead. 

Yuuri was dizzy on that kiss. Mug clutched tightly in his hand and straw and stone in the other, he grinned warmly at Viktor. “I know just the place to put them.”


	18. Unintentional

Yuuri spent the beginnings of the summer back at the reef. It was safer that way—less accidental spottings. And both Mari and Yuuko agreed, assuring him that his human would still be there the next time he made it back above water.

He didn’t, however, account for Yuri Plisetsky to come surfing again when he finally did make his way up there. With the castle as close as it was, it only made sense that he’d come back down this way. Yuuri just assumed that maybe the prince was afraid of running into more merpeople, or Viktor, or both. 

But then again—what had Yuuri been thinking? Both times he’d seen the prince before had left _Yuuri_ reeling, certainly the existence of merpeople was not what kept the prince away from the water. Yuuri was rather shocked though to see Yuri again—surfboard beside him in the sand.

Yuuri was no stranger to crying humans on the beach. He’d found, from months-- years of observation, that people sometimes came to the water alone when they wanted to sit and reflect or when something was bothering them.

Even so, it was no less surprising to see the prince sobbing into his arms on the beach that night. Yuuri glanced around briefly for any sign of Viktor. When he didn’t see him, he started to turn, figuring it was best to just let Yuri be and stay out of the way when he heard the sniffle and sharp intake of breath. Yuuri huffed under his breath. He must have made too much noise when he’d turned around in the water.

When Yuuri looked up, the prince was looking back at him, eyes puffy and face red from the tears. They stared at each other for a moment before Yuri’s eyes narrowed. 

“What are _you_ looking at, asshole?” Yuri spat, wiping his face. “Don’t think I don't recognize you. You’re the one with the tail. The one that brought that stranger back to the beach and ruined my life.”

Yuuri opened his mouth to speak. To say something, _anything_ , but the words wouldn’t come. He swallowed.

“That guy tried to tell everyone that he was the prince, did you know that?” Yuri continued, seething. “He came in and tried to tell everyone that my castle was his before that other idiot came along and did… something. He did something to stop everyone from thinking that the guy from the beach was the real Viktor Nikiforov!”

“Chris?” Yuuri finally managed to get out.

“I don’t care what his name is!” Yuri shouted. “It got me thinking… if you can exist, it’s not impossible that he’s the same one from all the pictures. The stories. The missing prince. But I don’t care about that.”

None of this was making any sense to Yuuri. Why was Yuri out here? And if he had figured out that much about Viktor, why hadn’t he said anything? Why hadn’t he come back?

Yuri seemed to answer that for him. “My grandpa’s health was already failing, but… this strain, all this commotion after you brought that Viktor to the beach… all of that was too much for him and he got sicker. It’s his fault my grandpa died! The last thing he needed was to worry about two princes in a castle! About mermaids and magic and fairytales. _You’re_ not even supposed to exist! And it’s Viktor Nikiforov who’s supposed to be dead, not my grandpa.”

_Oh._

Yuuri felt tears pricking at the corners of his own eyes. “Y-Yuri…” he started.

“ _Prince_ Yuri.”

“Um. Right,” Yuuri swam closer. “I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry? I never wanted to hurt anyone. But I really don’t think Viktor had anything to do with your grandpa.”

“Ever since you showed up, things have gone from back to worse,” Yuri wiped his tears with his arm, going on as if he’d never heard Yuuri speak. “And even tonight, I just wanted to come here to surf, and you have to ruin things by showing up. Why am I even talking to you?”

Yuuri had wanted to ask the prince that himself, but he’d figured that with how angry he already was, it wouldn’t have been a good idea. He shrugged.

“I’ll tell you why,” Yuri said. “It’s because I just want you to get lost. And take the other two with you. I shouldn’t have even gone back to the beach that day you brought Nikiforov there. I told my grandpa about you. I shouldn’t have. That first time I saw you, he told me to forget about it. But I wanted to prove to him—and myself that you existed so I came back. And then once Viktor was well enough to say who he thought he was, and that other guy showed up…” he shook his head. “My grandpa said not to worry about it, that he’d deal with it. And he talked to them, and it just blew over. But I knew better. I know the stress from all of that is what made him sick again.”

Yuuri didn’t know anything about the prince’s grandfather. But if the roles were reversed and it was one of his family members that got sick, he knew he would be just as upset. Yuuri grimaced. “Look, Yuri. Oh, I mean—Prince Yuri. I can’t change what happened to your grandfather, and I’m so sorry. But you saved someone too, back at the beach when I brought Viktor there. And I can’t thank you enough for that, and probably… your grandfather wouldn’t have wanted you to have just left Viktor, so you did the right thing, coming back.”

Yuri fell silent, reaching down to draw aimlessly in the sand. He shuddered out a breath. “You don’t know what my grandpa would have wanted.” He said at last. “But I know what I want, and that’s for you to leave me alone so I can go surfing in peace.”

Well, actually he’d been crying, not surfing. But Yuuri wasn’t about to point that out. He sighed, pushing himself backward through the water a bit. “Okay,” he said softly. “Enjoy your surfing.”

“Yuuri!”

Yuuri cringed, recognizing the voice. He’d been hoping that Viktor would show, but not _now_ with the prince sobbing and shouting at him.

Both of them glanced toward Viktor at the same time, and Yuuri hoped that Viktor could tell from their expressions that this was not a good time to be here.

Viktor caught the expression and faltered, but it was too late; Yuri was already on his feet, pointing angrily at him. 

“It’s you!” Yuri shouted. “It’s all your fault!”

Viktor raised his hands defensively. “What are you talking about?” He tried to approach Yuri, but the prince shoved him away.

“You know damn well what I’m talking about!” Yuri snapped. “This whole thing was your fault, you’re dead! You’re dead!” 

Yuuri watched, brow furrowed, wishing there was something that he could do to interfere and help calm things down. “Vikt—” he started, but was cut off with more of Yuri’s shouting. 

“You don’t live here anymore! That is my castle, my family, and this is my world! Just get out of here. Both of you! Just leave me alone.” Yuri’s voice cracked when he spoke. He turned toward Yuuri then, fists clenched at his sides. “Just _go_.”

Yuuri glanced toward Viktor, trying to gesture for him to go over to the inlet so he could fill him in on the situation, but Viktor wasn’t catching the motions. He was watching the prince, his face an expression a mixture of hurt and confusion.

Yuuri wouldn’t be able to get through to him. And continuing to hang around now wouldn’t do any of them good. He had to get out of there. 

Yuuri made a brief stop at the inlet, leaning up against the rocks that were up by the land and drew out the letters of Viktor’s name in the sand. If he ended up checking here tomorrow, Yuuri wanted Viktor to know that he still wanted to see him. He’d spent so much time practicing the shape of the letters, how it felt to write them using his own hand… but he’d been hoping that the first time he wrote it would be to show Viktor, not to try and communicate with him after this confrontation with Yuri.

He looked over the letters one more time and sat back, waiting and hoping that maybe Viktor would show up, but he didn’t. He could just barely make out voices but couldn’t tell what they were saying. Maybe that meant Viktor had gotten through to Yuri and that they were talking rationally about things, but he couldn’t be sure. 

With a heavy heart, Yuuri turned and dove back under the water. He thought he may have heard Viktor shout out to him just then, but he couldn’t stay, and he had already stuck around long enough. Yuuri needed to go back to the reef, and the prince needed space. Yuuri would let _him_ have the beach tonight.


	19. Hooked

“Hey,” Yuuko peeked through the entrance of the reef and waved. “Minako said you were here. Usually you’d have taken off by now, is everything okay?”

Yuuri gestured for her to come in, sitting her down on one of the nearby rocks. “Yuuko, I’ve been thinking about this all day and since you know the most about Viktor, and the castle, and the _world_ up there in general, I need to tell you something. Do you have time?”

Yuuko nodded. “A little bit, yes.” 

Yuuri started swimming in anxious circles around her as he explained everything—Yuri Plisetsky, his grandfather, the crying, the beach, the things he said to Viktor—and Yuuko had to reach out her arm to stop him from making another round around her. “What am I going to do?” he asked. “I can’t… I just left Viktor up there after all those things the prince said to him.”

“Listen. Underneath all that status, he’s still just a kid; I’m sure Viktor was able to handle himself. That said, from what I’ve read and what you’ve told me, that kid has got a lot of power now that his grandfather’s not around. So I’d just go back, talk to Viktor, straighten the whole thing out. See what the other Yuri said to him after you left.”

“What if I’m too late?” Yuuri asked. “What if Viktor doesn’t come back?”

“He _will_.”

Yuuri crossed his arms, turning to sit back on one of the rocks beside Yuuko. “I just… I didn't mean for any of this to happen.”

“Yuuri,” Yuuko started, “Viktor showing up shortly before Plisetsky’s grandfather got sick… that’s just coincidence. The best thing you can do now is find Viktor and talk to him. And if you go talk to Mari or Minako, they’ll tell you the same thing.”

Yuuri buried his head in his hands. “Do you really think so?”

“Yes,” Yuuko told him. “So will you go up there now and see him? Talk to him?” she leaned in toward him eagerly when he nodded. “Perfect! Do you want me to go with you? I was just on my way to see Nishigori, but he’d understand if I explained to him.”

“No,” Yuuri replied. “I don’t want to put you out, I’ll bring Vicchan along with me and it’ll be fine.”

“Vicchan.” Yuuko hummed thoughtfully. “That’ll be good.”

“Yeah.” He knew she was right. He’d just go round up Vicchan and meet Viktor like he usually did. He’d already kept him waiting long enough, he thought.

Yuuko gave him a few more reassuring words before heading off to Nishigori and Yuuri followed shortly after, leaving the reef and glancing around quickly to see if the stingray was anywhere nearby. “Vicchan?” 

He waited, expecting to catch the telltale sign of Vicchan coming around the corner, excitedly flapping his wings. But there was nothing.

Yuuri lowered himself down to the ocean floor, hand skimming along the sand to try and see if Vicchan had maybe decided to rest and didn’t hear him, but he still wasn’t getting anything. 

This was… unusual. But it wasn’t as though Vicchan came with him _every_ time he went up to the surface. It was just that Yuuri hadn’t seen him all day, and the times when he chose not to come along, at least Yuuri had some idea of where he was.

Yuuri peeked back into the reef. “Mom? Mari? Have you seen Vicchan around? Maybe around mealtime or something?”

His mother shook her head. Mari glanced up, offering him a halfhearted shrug. “Don’t think so. Did you check where he likes to hunt? Or maybe you were taking too long so he went up to meet Viktor without you.”

It was a joke, but Yuuri still felt uneasy. This wasn’t like Vicchan. But his next best option was to check the place the stingrays frequented for hunting, so he headed that way, the sinking feeling only growing when he couldn’t spot Vicchan there, either.

He was just about to leave when he noticed the sand shifting below him. Just once, and then stopped. Heart hammering in his chest, Yuuri swam lower and brushed away the sand. 

“Vicchan!” He hissed. “I was looking everywhere for you. I’m going to see Viktor, come—” His words caught in his throat as he noticed the fishing line. It was coming out of Vicchan’s mouth, and a quick tug to try and remove it only served to make Vicchan jerk away, wings fluttering. 

Yuuri scooped him up, running a hand down his back and then reached toward his mouth one more time. If he could _just_ get it out, everything would be okay. 

Vicchan swung his tail up the minute Yuuri’s fingers brushed the fishing hook in his mouth and Yuuri had to let go and lurch backwards to avoid getting stung. 

“H-hey,” Yuuri stammered. “I’m trying to help you!” 

Vicchan turned as though he was going to swim away and Yuuri reached out to stop him. “No! You have to come with me. It’s going to be okay.”

He didn’t know whether he was trying to soothe Vicchan more or himself, but he had to do _something_. Letting go of Vicchan but still keeping him close, Yuuri directed him up to the surface.

Just as Yuuko had said he’d be, Viktor was waiting for him. He stood when Yuuri surfaced, mouth opening to say something when he caught Yuuri’s panicked expression.

“What is it?”

“It’s Vicchan!” Yuuri tried to fight down the panic that was welling up inside him. “I don’t know what to do. I hadn’t seen him all day and then he was there in the sand and he’s got this hook in his mouth and I think he might’ve swallowed it and I tried to get it out but he’s scared and it must be hurting him and—!”

Viktor’s eyes were wide. “Yuuri, it’s going to be fine. Here, let me see.” He knelt down beside Yuuri, reaching forward and shining his flashlight to get a better look at Vicchan. “I’m going to try and help but I’ll need you to hold him so he doesn’t sting, okay?”

Yuuri raised his arm to block out the light in his eyes. “O-Okay,” he stammered. “But you can do it?”

“I can try. You’re going to have to get him to shallower water first, and I’ll meet you there.”

“There’s… near the other side of the inlet, there’s a place I can go to if the coast is clear. Near the beach.”

“It is,” Viktor told him. “Let’s go.”

Hands shaking, Yuuri managed to get Vicchan over to the spot and hold his tail, helping to lift him toward Viktor as he approached, flashlight in hand. “You have tools, right?” Yuuri asked, frantically.

Viktor gave a small shake of his head. “But if you keep him from stinging me, I’ll do my best. I’ll just… unhook it if I can.”

“And if you can’t?” Yuuri asked. Vicchan flapped his wings against Yuuri and he had to use his other arm to make sure he didn’t take off. 

Viktor didn’t respond. Instead, he took a deep breath, angled his flashlight and reached forward. 

Yuuri held tight to Vicchan as tears stained his face, making sure he didn’t thrash his tail and accidentally hurt Viktor. “Shh,” he whispered quietly. “We’re helping you. You know Viktor, he’s going to help you.” 

It felt like an eternity before Viktor pulled back and held up the fishing hook. “I got it.” He exhaled, blinking as though he was shocked that he’d actually managed. “I didn’t know if I could, but I—”

Yuuri let Vicchan go, and the stingray immediately swam off into deeper waters. Yuuri jumped forward, wrapping his arms around Viktor. “ _Thank you_. You saved him. I don’t know what I would have done otherwise.”

Viktor seemed like he was at a loss for words, but he returned Yuuri’s embrace, “Wow.”

Yuuri held him tight for a few long moments before he let go and swam over to where Vicchan had settled. He could tell that the stingray was still spooked, but he couldn’t help but press his forehead to Vicchan’s in sheer relief. “Don’t you ever go off and do this again, you understand?” He thought his order might lose some of the effect with his voice shaking like it was, but it didn’t matter. What _did_ matter is that Vicchan was fine now.

Deeming it safe to return to the inlet, Yuuri still wasn’t quite ready to let Vicchan out of his sight so he brought him around with and leaned up toward Viktor. “Hey Viktor, about yesterday, with Yuri Plisetsky.”

Viktor shook his head. “We don’t have to talk about it right now. Tomorrow. I’m just glad I could help with Vicchan.”

Yuuri glanced past him, to where Makkachin sat farther back on the beach, looking on with interest. He nodded. “So am I. More than anything. But I want to help you, too,” he said to Viktor. 

“You already have.” Viktor smiled, but Yuuri had seen enough of them by now to recognize that this one wasn’t genuine. 

He held Viktor’s gaze. “No, I… I _want_ to talk about yesterday,” he said. “Whatever he said to you after I left, I want to know.”

Viktor glanced down to look at his hands, the hook still between his middle and forefinger. “Okay, Yuuri.”

Yuuri hoisted himself up, taking note of where Vicchan was before flipping his own tail in the water, watching the gentle ripples the movement created in the water. 

Leaning his head on Viktor’s shoulder, Yuuri laced their fingers together and listened. 


	20. Too Soon

The more Viktor spoke, the more Yuuri found himself starting to worry. Before, when Viktor was taking some days to care for Makkachin, Chris had seemed to think that Viktor would be fine to stick around, and that whatever he did from this point on would be his choice. But that had been before Yuri’s grandfather had died. 

“Of course, we’re going to have to talk about it,” Viktor was saying, “but Yuri wants me out, and you know… it’s a big deal. I’m not making any decisions yet, but it’s something I have to consider. Chris… he’s said that before all this he was vacationing in France, so maybe we go there.”

“For how long?” Yuuri tried to keep himself from sounding too desperate, but he was sure it came out that way anyway.

“I…” Viktor paused, looking down at their intertwined fingers. “I don’t know, Yuuri. Until this blows over? If the new king doesn’t want you around, that’s a pretty big deal. Especially if you’re someone like me and Chris, who need to stay out of the spotlight.”

There _had_ to be a way. There had to be something that Yuuri could do, or say, anything that would keep Viktor from leaving. 

“Can’t Chris do something?” Yuuri asked. “What if he talks to Yuri? He was able to smooth things over that first time, so maybe…”

Viktor shook his head. “He can’t. He probably shouldn’t have even done it before. His trying to fix things is kind of what got us into this mess.” His shoulders drooped. “Believe me, we’ve talked about our options extensively. He doesn’t think it’s a good idea to mess with royals again, so our choices are limited. But I won’t do anything until I’ve told you what the final plan is. I just want you to know it’s very possible that Chris and I will have to lie low somewhere else for a while.”

“I’ll—” Yuuri started, but he was at a loss for words. He’d what, swim to wherever Viktor ended up so he could visit him? It would be much too far, and besides, Yuuri was needed back home at the reef.

“You need to be here,” Viktor continued, as if he could read Yuuri’s mind, “and I can’t be. But I’ll come visit every day for the next couple of nights. Chris, too. You can talk to him then if you’d like. He understands this whole—,” he waved his hand that was not currently entangled with Yuuri’s, “getting lost thing better than I do.”

Yuuri nodded. “I know it’s what you need to do,” he said, slowly. “But I’ll miss you.” _I love you._ the words rested heavily on the tip of his tongue, threatening to tumble out. He closed his mouth.

Viktor tightened his grip on Yuuri’s hand. “I’ll miss you, too. More than anything. In over a hundred years, I’ve never met anyone who has given me life the way you have.”

Yuuri cracked a smile. “It’s because you were stone. I _literally_ gave you life again, Viktor.”

Vicchan had apparently deemed it safe to come closer to them again and swam around nearby, gently brushing up against the part of Yuuri’s tail that was still resting in the water. 

Yuuri leaned down to pet him. “So you’ll keep me updated? Come back every day?”

“I will, my Yuuri,” Viktor promised. “And I’ll swim with you when I can, too. On days like these when the water is this perfect temperature.”

Yuuri nodded. “You shouldn’t have to decide this so suddenly,” he said. “Just because Yuri blames you for his grandfather?”

With a shrug, Viktor said, “I know it sounds crazy, but things really have changed in the past century. It’s not the same here as it used to be. The world has moved on. I probably should, too.”

_But not without me!_ Yuuri furrowed his brow. “I’m sorry Viktor.”

“Sorry?” Viktor leaned closer to him. “No, Yuuri. You’ve given me everything. Even while I was stone, you tell me you stayed with me. You gave me things from your world, made me feel like I had someone I could belong with. Don’t be sorry about any of that. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Yuuri didn’t realize Viktor was crying until he noticed the tiny ripples they made as they fell into the water. “It’s just…” Yuuri started, gritting his teeth to keep himself from crying as well. “You never met my sister. Or my parents. And there’s so much more I want to show you.”

“There’s time for that. It's not like I’m leaving tomorrow.”

Yuuri knew Viktor was trying to sound reassuring, but the crying sort of detracted from the intent. 

Yuuri reached out to brush away the tears from Viktor’s face. “I know. Tomorrow, I’ll… I’ll see if Mari might be able to come along, and the next…” his voice caught in his throat and he buried his head in his hands. “I can’t. _Please_ don’t go, Viktor. There’s still things I want to do.”

“Chris said it’s just going to be for a little while,” Viktor said. “I don’t want to either. There isn’t a day that goes by where I’m not thinking about you, and I’ll do everything I can to be back soon.”

The words sounded reasonable, but they both knew quite well that what Chris considered to be a ‘little while’ was certainly much longer to Yuuri and Viktor than it seemed to Chris.

“What did Yuri _say_ to you?” Yuuri asked. 

“The truth. That this world doesn’t have room for Viktor Nikiforov anymore. And he’s right. It’s been a century since I’ve been able to truly call this place home. And it hurt to hear it at first, but after I spoke to Chris, I realized Yuri was right. And then Chris decided it might be time to move on.” He tried to laugh, but it came out sounding forced. “Even though I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to. Every time I imagine going off somewhere else to live without you, I remember your voice and everything that drew me back to the ocean in the first place—the little things I remembered about you without even recalling who you were.”

Yuuri frowned. “It wasn’t even your fault. There’s no way his grandfather dying had anything to do with you returning. It was just bad timing. There’s no way. I’ll talk to Chris,” Yuuri said. “I’ll do anything. Just please say you’ll think about staying.”

“Oh, Yuuri,” Viktor’s voice was strained. “It’s the only thing I can’t get off my mind.”

When Viktor finally deemed it time to start heading back, Yuuri was the one to linger on the rocks and watch as Makkachin trailed happily behind Viktor, oblivious to the grief that plagued both her owner and Yuuri.

Yuuri wasn’t _ready_ for a goodbye. He hadn’t spent this many years falling in love with Viktor over and over again just to see him disappear from his life as suddenly as he had come into it. He wasn’t ready to just watch him go.


	21. Our World

Yuuri’s eyes shifted between the artifacts in the cave, pieces of his and Viktor’s lives decorating the surfaces of the rocks. He’d spoken to both Mari and Minako, but neither of them had been able to get away tonight to go see Viktor, so here he was with Vicchan, trying to come up with something to say that could convince Chris to let Viktor stay.

Neither Yuuri nor Chris really had a say in the end, Yuuri knew. Ultimately, it was up to Viktor— but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try. He reached out, brushing the mug resting on one of the rocks with his fingertips. Viktor had been so _thrilled_ to give it to him. How was it possible that after all this, he’d have to leave? Yuuri flitted over to where he had placed the other gifts from Viktor, picking up the stone and clutching it to his chest. 

“Vicchan,” Yuuri said, casting a glance over his shoulder at the stingray. “I’m going to need all the luck I can get tonight. Please come with me.” As expected, Vicchan moved closer to him. After getting the hook stuck in his mouth, Yuuri was wary to let the stingray too far out of his sight, something that Vicchan was just fine with.

They slipped out of the cave and Yuuri guided them up to the surface, keeping an eye out for humans in general, but especially in case Yuri Plisetsky returned. Yuuri had a few stern words for him if he decided to come around.

Yuuri approached the beach, head just barely above water as he scanned the surrounding area for any signs of people. The moonlight shove brightly above him, giving Yuuri enough visibility to see and he had to gently push Vicchan down when the stingray flapped one wing high above the water, loud enough to draw attention to them both should anyone be close enough on land. 

But as Yuuri glanced around, he couldn’t see Viktor—or Makkachin either, for that matter. 

What if…?

 _No._ Yuuri forced the panic down that was beginning to well up inside of him. Viktor wouldn’t have left without telling him. He would never do something like that. But what if Plisetsky had done something else? What if Viktor and Chris had needed to sneak out in the middle of the night? What if Yuuri never saw him again? What if yesterday had been it? What would he do?

Vicchan pressed his head up against Yuuri’s arm, drawing him back into the moment as he flapped his wings and started to swim off. 

“Vicchan!” Yuuri exclaimed, reaching out to try and scoop up the stingray, but just barely missing. He groaned in frustration and took off after Vicchan as the stingray slipped around the other side of the beach toward the inlet. 

Of course. Yuuri hadn’t even considered checking the inlet before he had assumed the worst. After all, that was where they met up more often than not. Why hadn’t he thought to look over there before he started to worry? As he swam quickly behind Vicchan, Yuuri thought he could make out Viktor’s beautiful silver hair, standing out against the reflection the moon made in the water. 

“Viktor?” Yuuri shouted. He lifted an arm up to wave at him. “Viktor, is that you?” He couldn’t see anyone else around, but it wasn’t as though Viktor could exactly be mistaken for someone else. He stood out pretty well.

As Yuuri drew closer, he realized two things: Viktor was in the water, and he was _reading_ something. The pamphlet. The one Yuuri had been careful not to take out in front of Viktor, the one he hadn’t needed when he had the real deal right there in front of him, giving him everything he could ever want and more. Yuuri felt heat rising in his cheeks. 

Viktor lowered the pamphlet. “Yuuri!” He grinned. “Look what I found!” 

“I— I know,” Yuuri said, rubbing his neck. “I put it there. Where’s Chris?” “Ah,” Viktor folded the pamphlet up, placing it carefully on land. “He’s… well, he’s getting ready to leave.”

“And you wanted to swim with me one last time?” Yuuri ventured a guess. His face fell. “Viktor, I really wanted to talk to him. There has to be something we can do. Something he’s overlooked. But… if that’s not the case, I just wanted to tell him, tell _both_ of you that I never meant for this to happen. And that I don’t want you to go, but if you have to so that you can stay safe, I…” he bowed his head. “I’m going to miss you.”

He expected Viktor to swim closer and explain himself, or take his hand or _something_ , but he stayed leaning up against the rock, a huge smile etched upon his features. 

Yuuri furrowed his brow. “Viktor…” he started. Vicchan swam past him and up to Viktor, rubbing against his hand and Yuuri drifted hesitantly closer, trying not to sound quite as confused as he felt. But something was different; he just couldn’t quite place it.

Finally, Viktor spoke again. “I talked to Chris,” he said. “Well, sort of. We went out for a drink or two shortly after I told you that we’d have to leave. I was… significantly upset, as you can imagine. Things got a little carried away. Yuuri, I… well, there’s something I have to show you.”

If Yuuri had been confused before, he was even more so now. But before he could get any more words out, Viktor pulled away from the rock and launched himself toward Yuuri with a flip of the most beautiful magenta and gold tail that Yuuri had ever seen. 

Yuuri’s breath caught in his throat. He may have uttered a breathless ‘Viktor’, or ‘how’, but he wasn’t sure whether or not he’d actually managed to get the words out. Finally, he managed to speak. “Viktor, you did this? For _me_?” 

Viktor was looking equally as awestruck, and he flipped his tail once more, laughing as it came up and back under the water. “Well, technically it was Chris. But yeah,” he breathed. 

Yuuri reached out and drew Viktor to him, fingers resting gently on either side of Viktor’s cheeks. “But how?” he asked. “And what about Makkachin?”

Viktor opened his mouth to speak, but Yuuri felt something brush up against his tail from a stingray that was definitely too close to be Vicchan. Viktor must have caught his panicked expression because he smiled warmly at Yuuri. “Chris wouldn't change me without changing her, too. And Vicchan needs a friend.”

Yuuri caught a glimpse of the newly turned Makkachin flap her own stingray wings as she swam curiously over to Vicchan.

Viktor continued. “I just… well, I don’t belong in that world anymore, Yuuri. There isn’t a place for me on land. My heart is here with you.”

Yuuri didn’t know what to say. He was beaming, tears streaming down his face as he closed the distance between himself and Viktor. “I love you,” he whispered, finally capturing his lips in the kiss he had been wanting to give Viktor ever since he’d changed back from stone.

And to Yuuri’s utter delight, Viktor kissed him back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. So this is really it! When I started The World We Share, I never imagined all the kind comments and support I received while writing this. It truly has been a wonderful experience. And while this may be the end of this fic, I do plan to continue with this universe, exploring the before and after as well and revisiting some characters I didn't get to focus on quite as much.
> 
> I can't thank you enough!


End file.
